Transitions
by Serenetwinkle
Summary: A switching of the strangest kind gives Watanuki and Doumeki a glimpse of something more.
1. Chapter 1

AN- This is my first attempt at an xxxHolic fic (also posted on LJ community doumekiwatanuki, lots of good work there if you've never been). I tried my best and I promise no such things as staying in character or having a cool plot. Slight spoilers for volume 7 and I think 8.

Chapter: 1 of (who knows)  
Rating: PG- for naughty language  
Pairing: Doumeki/Watanuki

* * *

Transitions

It was the sound of raindrops pattering relentlessly on the glass of his bedside window that eventually roused Watanuki from his restless sleep. He lay in bed for a minute or so, staring at the ceiling blankly, a vague question as to why it was so dark out hanging within the hazy, sleep filled recesses of his mind. Turning his head to the side, he saw the red digits of his alarm clock glowing an all too early time of 4:28 am.

It was, at least, a little bit later than he had woken the night before.

Knowing from almost a month's worth of previous experience that it was ultimately useless in attempting to go back to sleep until he was decently awaken by either his alarm or a ray of morning light, Watanuki heaved a weary sigh and sat up. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he could hear the sound of thunder in the distance. Resting his head in his hands for a moment, Watanuki tried once more to remember what exactly he had been dreaming about before he woke up. As usual, however, the dream had slipped away like so much sand through the fingers of his conscious memory. Another resigned sigh escaped his lips as he pushed back the covers from his legs and stood from his bed before making his way to the bathroom.

It was going to be long day. Again.

* * *

"Oi."

Oh yes. It was going to be a long, splendid day today.

Watanuki stopped in his walk and turned his head to the side, giving his profile to the speaker.

"I realize that the long and complicated syllables of my name may be a bit too much for you to handle, but I would appreciate it if you at least made the effort."

"Why are you up so early?"

Spinning around fully and raising an angry, school bag laden fist in the direction of one Doumeki Shizuka, the bespectacled teen growled out, "Do you even hear me when I speak to you?"

Instead of answering, Doumeki stepped closer and peered into the other boys face with narrowed eyes.

Watanuki began to get slightly nervous, not to mention annoyed, when the taller teen didn't say anything for several moments.

"Wh… what are you staring at, you idiot?" he said, backing us a couple steps to widen the space between them.

Locking golden eyes to blue, Doumeki bluntly stated, "You look tired."

And again, "Why are you up so early?"

Evading the question, Watanuki shot back, "Why are you up so early? Shouldn't you be doing chores or something." Though he could see that since Doumeki was already in his uniform, he was probably on his way to school already, also.

"Club practice." Short and to the point, but the look he gave the shorter boy said he was obviously still waiting for an answer.

Watanuki rolled his eyes and muttered, "Jeez what are you, my mother?" Louder, "I couldn't sleep, alright? Satisfied, nosey?"

"Why not?"

Raising his arms above his head and flailing his umbrella about wildly to properly display his annoyance, he yelled, "None of your business! If you have club to go to, then go and stop pestering me with pointless question while we stand here in the rain and freeze our asses off! Jeez!"

With that final parting shot, Watanuki spun on his heel and made to stomp off to school on his own.

Of course, this being the wonderfully perfect day it was turning out to be, he took five steps and immediately got dizzy, toppling to the side. A gloriously wet and hard sidewalk rose to catch him as fuzzy blackness crowded his vision.

"Watanuki!"

He heard a clatter and the sound of running footsteps. A brief, sarcastic thought flitted across his mind half a second before his head hit the cement.

'_See, I knew you could say my name.'

* * *

_

His head hurt.

His cheek stung.

His shoulder felt sore.

And for some reason, he smelled disinfectant.

Watanuki opened his eyes and saw a blurry white ceiling above his head. This seemed somewhat strange to him, as he specifically remembered being outside, in the rain, the last time he checked.

"Watanuki-kun, I'm so glad you're awake!" A small hand set itself atop his own. Turning his head to the left, he found a smiling girl with two long curly pony-tails seated next to him.

"Himawari-chan…"

The girl's smile softened and she looked at him in concern. "How do you feel?"

Confused, Watanuki frowned slightly. "I'm, uh, alright. I think. But what are you doing here? Actually, where am I? Am I at school?"

Himawari's smile disappeared altogether and the concerned look deepened.

"Don't you remember, Watanuki-kun? We were walking from class and you accidentally got pushed down the stairs. One of the teachers brought you up here to the nurses office. The doctor had to go to a meeting after he treated you, but I said I would stay with you. You've been asleep for about 20 minutes now; I was starting to get worried."

The injured boy stilled, even his breath momentarily halting.

'_The stairs? Nurses office?'_

Watanuki blinked several times, pausing to try and process the information. No, it was no use. He was certain that the last thing he remembered was standing outside the Doumeki's temple gate on his way to school. Then he had gotten dizzy and fallen.

Right?

"I don't think I remember that. Wasn't I outside? In the rain?"

Suddenly, he felt a cool hand on his forehead and was surprised to see Himawari with a frown on her face. And while normally such an act by his beloved would be cause for a grand celebration, Watanuki couldn't seem to get past the fact that his timeline was all out of whack.

"Are you sure you're alright? You don't seem to have a fever." The hand retreated, but the frown deepened a little. "Maybe I should go get Doumeki-kun for you."

Watanuki was about to demand to know why in the world he would need Doumeki of all people ,when he realized that maybe the other boy might know what had happened, since he was the last person he had spoken to.

"Well, maybe-"

His sentence was cut off by the abrupt and somewhat violent opening of the office door. The curtain by his bed was currently open, so he could clearly see a red-faced and breathless Doumeki rushing through the doorway. Even before the door had a chance to close all the way, the teen was already at his side and leaning over the bed.

Watanuki could only stare in wide-eyed disbelief at the flushed and worried face that hovered over him. He dazedly noted that the other boy was wearing his archery uniform. Had he run all the way from the practice field? But that was all the way across the campus...

"Thank God you're okay," the archer panted, as he reached out a hand and stroked Watanuki's uninjured cheek. Golden eyes softened and a small smile graced his mouth.

Unable to even utter a sound, Watanuki could only hang his jaw open in shock as his eyes widened even further.

'_What… what the HELL?'_

"Doumeki-kun," Himawari's voice interrupted. She swept a troubled glance over him before motioning for Doumeki to follow her over to the other side of the room.

They were speaking in low tones, so the injured boy couldn't really hear what they were saying, though he was almost positive they could have been screaming profanities back and forth at one another and he would have paid them just as little heed.

Doumeki had...

He had...

He...

And what the hell was that look he gave him!

He had looked so... upset. And then, he smiled. Doumeki didn't smile! Smirk, yes. But not smile.

And he didn't get upset either.

Well except that one time, with the eye. He had gotten plenty upset then. Well, angry was more like it. Or rather, incredibly pissed off if one was to be completely honest.

But this time, he had looked genuinely distressed. Almost the way Watanuki imagined a person would look like if someone they loved had gotten hurt.

So.

'_What the hell was that? Doumeki, you confusing bastard!_

The sound of the door opening snapped him out of his mental meanderings and he saw Himawari wave at him from the door on her way out.

"Take care Watanuki-kun. I'll see you tomorrow if you're feeling well enough."

He stared at the door as it clicked shut once more. That only left one other person in the room with him. A person that was currently making his way over to the chair recently vacated by Himawari.

Watanuki watched with wary eyes as Doumeki scooted the chair as close to the bed as he could with out actually moving it on _top_.

For several second, neither boy said anything. One pair of eyes narrowing in suspicion, while the other watched with an unreadable, though still somewhat worried, expression.

Finally, "How's your head?"

Not letting his guard down, Watanuki answered carefully, "It's fine."

Pause.

"What about your cheek?" Doumeki reached out his hand as if to brush against his face again and Watanuki automatically leaned back away from his touch, pressing farther back into his pillow.

The hand stopped halfway and for a second Watanuki though he saw a hurt look flash across the taller boy's face.

"I'm fine, I told you that already. Man, you really don't listen at all do you?"

He could feel the familiar weight of irritation settling into him. Good, he much preferred that to the more confusing feelings he was developing from Doumeki's strange new attitude.

"Kunogi says you don't really remember what happened." He had that unreadable expression again and the words sounded cautious.

Watanuki suddenly felt very tired as all the energy to argue drained out of him. What was wrong with him? What was wrong with Doumeki, for that matter?

"It's not that I don't remember. Well okay it is. I mean, I don't remember the same thing Himawari-chan seems to remember, but- Arg! I don't know. But you were there right? This morning?"

Doumeki's brow creased in a frown. "What about this morning?"

Exasperated beyond belief, Watanuki blew out a frustrated breath. "You know, we were standing out in the rain this morning next to the temple and you were acting like a moron as usual, asking dumb questions. Kind of like now. Imagine that. And then, I uh, fell and... Well, then I woke up here for some reason. And what the heck! It's suddenly after school and the whole day went by with out me knowing about it! And you're acting all weird and, and, emotional! What's up with that anyway?"

"This morning..." Doumeki was staring at him with an increasingly worried look.

"Yes, you idiot!" Watanuki shouted, patience at its end, energy nominally renewed enough for a few arm waves to stress his point. "This morning!"

"It-"

The archer clamped his mouth shut abruptly and looked down at the bed sheet with a contemplative look.

"'It', what?"

Thoughtful eyes darted to his for a brief second before looking back down.

"Well? What is it?"

After a few more seconds, and just moments before Watanuki was about to decide it would be more effective to wring the words out of the idiot by force, Doumeki looked up once more, this time with a completely serious expression.

"It didn't rain this morning. Actually, it hasn't rained for almost a month now, and I met you outside the front gate before school."

It was official. One of them had lost their mind.

Watanuki had the sinking suspicion that it might actually be his own.

"Stop kidding around Doumeki. This isn't funny!"

Doumeki leaned back and stared at him as if he had just been slapped. This time the injured teen was sure he saw hurt reflected in the other boy's eyes. But why?

"Doumeki?" His voice betrayed his confusion and he couldn't quite keep a small bit of panic from welling up inside his chest. The archer was still staring at him, the hurt look slowly being replaced by a more frightening emotion.

The chair Doumeki was sitting in jerked backwards and crashed to the floor as he flew to his feet. His eyes were narrowed as he glared angrily at the boy on the bed, suspicion radiating from him in near visible waves.

Where the heck had this come from?

Watanuki had cringed back in into his pillow when the other teen rose suddenly and now he could only look up at his companion in perplexity and apprehension as he hovered menacingly over the bed.

"Who are you?"

'_Eh?_'

"Eh?"

Doumeki's fists balled up at his sides and for a split second Watanuki feared he was about to be hit. His head pounded as his brain struggled to keep up with these new messed up situations that kept presenting themselves to him. Since when didn't Doumeki know his name?

"Who. Are. You." It wasn't even a question anymore, really. More like a grinding of words from beneath clenched teeth.

A ripple of anxiety wavered through the smaller boy's body and he was almost afraid to answer in face of the other boy's barely concealed anger.

"Wh-what are you talking about, Doumeki? You know who I am..."

Doumeki didn't say anything for a moment as his chest rose and fell in a heavy rhythm that reminded Watanuki of someone desperately trying to catch their breath.

"I... don't think I do."

Watanuki blinked at the whispered words. Something was completely wrong and for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what it was. Why was Doumeki so upset? What in the world was going on here?

For a moment, the archer's face lightened, as if a thought occurred to him, before asking, "What day is it."

As random as the question was, it was no more out of place than anything else that had happened so far, so the answer came immediately.

"November 3rd."

Pursed lips and then, "What year?"

That one threw Watanuki off for a second, but he still answered promptly, "2006."

He hadn't hit his head that hard...

Doumeki took a step closer to the bed, with a determined look. "What did we do on your birthday?"

Okay, even for the weird situation he was in, that was still kind of a non sequitur. Brow scrunched in puzzlement, he could only repeat the question.

"My birthday?"

Golden eyes bore into his own. "What did we do."

Unable to look away from such an intense gaze, Watanuki wracked his muddled brain to try and figure out what exactly they _had_ done all those months ago.

"Um, I think we had a picnic. No that's right, we did. We went to the park with Yuuko-san, Mokona, and Himawari-chan." He would have smile at the memory if he hadn't been getting a stare down at the moment. It had actually been a good day.

"That's all?" Quietly.

"Um, yeah. That's all, but-"

"And the year before that?"

Watanuki had been on the verge of demanding to know what all these questions had to do with anything, when Doumeki's next question interrupted him. There was something desperate sounding in his voice, though the taller boy's eyes were no longer giving anything away.

Cautiously, Watanuki answered, "The same thing. Same park too."

There was unquestionably a desperate undercurrent to the next question.

"Nothing else happened that day? Nothing at all?"

"No, not really. It was... Pretty ordinary."

"Ordinary..."

It was beyond strange to be seeing so many emotions at once from someone Watanuki had always thought of as incredibly impassive. So when Doumeki suddenly sagged to the floor with a half choked laugh, he couldn't help but sit up in surprise and worry.

"Doumeki! What's wrong?'

Head bowed, palms on the floor, Doumeki knelt beside the bed, shaking almost imperceptibly. Needless to say, Watanuki was beginning to get freaked out at last. This was just so not normal!

Leaning over the mattress, the smaller boy put a hand on one trembling shoulder. The bowed head lifted and uncertain eyes locked with his.

Doumeki spoke next in such a pained voice that was almost hard to listen to.

"A person... can forget parts of their past, but... to forget things and have completely different memories..."

Watanuki distantly felt his hand slip from the archer's shoulder and flop back to the bed.

'_Completely different memories?'_

"What are you talking about?" he asked, barely above a whisper.

Once more, Doumeki's gaze pierced him through, until he felt as if the other boy was looking much farther inside him than was humanly possible.

"You, are not my Kimihiro."

* * *

AN- Thus ends chapter one. Critique is welcome and appreciated. Please let me know what you think of this, so I can improve in whatever way (first attempt at this after all). Thanks for reading! 


	2. Chapter 2

Title- Transitions

Chapter- 2 of (still don't know)

Rating- PG- just cause I said so

Disclaimer- Forgot this last time. Oops. I don't own them. There. All done.

* * *

Transitions

Doumeki stood quietly next to the closed window of the guest bedroom, alternately staring blankly out the rain-streaked glass and casting worried glances down at the prone and near motionless figure resting on a futon several feet away.

Nine hours.

Not a twitch. Not a word.

Just the steady up and down rhythm of Watanuki's chest as it rose and fell with each breath he took.

It was quite mesmerizing, actually.

The silence was something Doumeki was unaccustomed to while being in the smaller boy's company. Though he clearly remembered being in a situation similar to this one before, he was still mildly surprised to find Watanuki didn't talk in his sleep.

A shame really, as it might have eased some of the knots that seemed to have permanently taken up residence in his stomach ever since he witness his friend suddenly keeling over in the middle of the sidewalk.

Nine hours, five minutes.

Back to staring out the window, Doumeki tried to concentrate on the pitter-pat of the falling rain that had not let up in the least all day. He could see a tree a little way off across the grounds sway slightly in the gusting winds. Really, if anything, the weather outside had only gotten worse. It wasn't even rainy season either.

Nine hours, ten minutes.

His gaze wandered back to the injured boy on the floor. Was it lack of proper rest, maybe, that was making him sleep so long now? He hadn't been lying when he'd said Watanuki looked tired. Exhausted was a more accurate assessment, to be honest. The last several weeks, the usually loud-mouthed and exuberant teen had been uncharacteristically lacking in the energy department. Even his insults had lost a good deal of their customary sting. It had been a welcome respite for his ears, but in retrospect Doumeki wondered if he should have said something earlier, before the dark circles under Watanuki's eyes had gotten so pronounced and the yawns during and between classes had become more frequent.

If only he had said something sooner, maybe this wouldn't have happened.

Of course, that was assuming Watanuki would have actually listened to him.

Nine hours, fifteen minutes.

He really had to stop looking at that clock.

Just as Doumeki was about to turn to the window once more, a small noise alerted him to movement from the boy on the floor. He pushed away from the wall he had been leaning on and took a step towards the futon. Stopping himself after another step, he resisted the urge to hover like some anxious nursemaid over the unconscious boy. Watanuki would surely not appreciate his face being the first thing he saw when he woke up.

Watanuki sighed deeply in his sleep and shifted a tiny bit under the blanket. A soft, almost imperceptible groan issued from him.

Doumeki decided he really didn't care if Watanuki was appreciative or not and walked over the teen's side, kneeling down just as sleepy cobalt blue eyes opened. For several seconds, Watanuki just blinked slowly at the ceiling, eyes still half shut and out of focus. As he became more awake, clarity came into blue depths along with a hint of confusion.

And he was still staring at the ceiling. Frowning at it, in fact.

Doumeki would never say it out loud, but he thought the small crease between Watanuki's brow was quite cute at the moment. The cuteness would be blown out the window in a minute of course, as soon as the other boy opened his mouth, but it was good to enjoy things while they lasted.

"Why..."

Ah, here it came.

"...am I..."

Doumeki briefly wondered what kind of accusations might be hurled at him this time. He entertained a few ideas of attempted kidnapping and indecent behavior, perhaps even being called a pervert or molester once Watanuki realize he wasn't wearing his uniform anymore. (It wasn't his fault that the bespectacled boy had fallen straight into a puddle of water like an idiot.) Instead, he was clad one of Doumeki's smaller kimono robes, a soft flannel one that he had always loved and never had the heart to throw out, even after it became too small for him to wear. Maybe he would let Watanuki keep it, since fit him perfectly.

"Oh." Watanuki had turned his head to the side and finally realized he had company.

"Why am I at your temple?" he asked, finishing his earlier question, a disoriented expression still etched on his face.

"You-" The archer caught himself before saying 'fainted'. Watanuki would definitely be offended by the word, for some harebrained reason or another, and would start flailing about in vehement denial. Something along the lines of:

_"I did **not** faint, you smug bastard! Fainting is for girls!"_

Or near enough to that anyway.

"-fell."

But really, that was just stating the obvious. Maybe he would complain about that instead? It wouldn't be the first time.

"Ah, that's right." Watanuki's expression cleared for a second, before reverting back to the tiny frown.

"But..." he waved a hand around vaguely at the room. "That doesn't really explain why I'm in your home."

It didn't?

Doumeki was, at this point beginning to wonder if Watanuki had hit his head a little harder than he originally believed, so he fell back on an old standby to snap the other boy back into his normal state of mind.

Besides, he could never resist teasing the guy.

"Would you rather I had left you outside, in the middle of the sidewalk, in the rain? I knew you were an idiot, but..."

Instead of the expected shouts of outraged indignation, he only received a blank stare.

Maybe he should call a doctor. The head injury must be very serious.

"I don't... What are you talking about?" The frown was more pronounced now, and Watanuki was pushing aside the blanket, making motions to sit up. Automatically, Doumeki reached out a hand to help before realizing it would probably be ignored.

He nearly fell over in shock when Watanuki grabbed his hand and pulled himself into a sitting position. His brain reeled even further out of commission when he noticed the shorter teen hadn't immediately let go of said hand. Instead...

Now their hands were laying, together, in Watanuki's lap.

_'...the hell?'_

Doumeki could only stare in dazed stupefaction at their joined hands.

Doctor...

Needed to call a doctor...

"...zuka? Hey are you listening to me? What are you staring at? Did you hear me? Hey!"

Snapping out of his trance, Doumeki jerked his head up from Watanuki's lap and realized with a start that the other boy had been trying to say something to him and he hadn't heard a word.

However, his erroneous transgression seemed only to produce a slight exasperation in the form of one raised eyebrow and a strange look from Watanuki.

"Are you alright?" The eyebrow raised a little higher with the question.

Shouldn't he be the one asking that?

"What were you saying?"

Watanuki blinked and tilted his head to the side, as if trying to judge if the taller boy was mentally sound enough to finally listen to him.

"Well, while you were being enraptured by our hands, I was asking you why we weren't at school and what you meant by us being outside."

Huh?

"Why would we be at school when my house is right here?" Did he expect him to drag his unconscious body to classes of all things? Even for Watanuki that was unreasonable.

"Huh? Closer? But we were already at school so-"

"Wait."

Watanuki stopped mid-sentence and waited for Doumeki to speak. Odd behavioral change number... Three? Four?

Anyway.

"Tell me exactly what happened."

It was obvious that the smaller boy was completely lost at the moment. Well, that made two of them. Still, Watanuki gave a quick nod and a short recount of the incident leading up to their present situation.

Hmm.

Was it possible for someone to get amnesia and then just make up their own memories to fill the gap?

Doumeki didn't think it was quite that simple. Besides, it didn't explain the whole hand holding thing.

Which he had yet to pull away from.

"Now will you please explain to me why I'm at your house?"

How to explain it? Blowing out a breath of air he tried to organize his words in his head beforehand. Starting slowly, he began, "Watanuki..."

And stopped at the sudden twitch of Watanuki's body and the taken aback look on his face.

"Wha... Are you mad at me or something? It's not like I meant to fall down the stairs!" Doumeki felt his hand being gripped tightly and couldn't even begin to decipher the expression on the other boy's face. It was... not something he had ever seen before. And since when had Watanuki cared if he was mad at him or not?

"And you can't possibly get on me about be careless, since there was no way in the world that kid bumping into me was my fault. I mean, come on. Who runs down a crowded stairwell anyway? He's just lucky no one else fell down too."

Now he was back in Rant Mode. This, at least, Doumeki was familiar with. He let the smaller boy babble on for a minute as he tried to collect his thoughts once more. This was more than just a simple case of stories not matching up. Watanuki seemed to think that he was in a completely different location, at a completely different time when he fell. No, that wasn't right really. Watanuki didn't just think he had been somewhere else. Doumeki was almost 90 percent sure Watanuki actually _had_ been where he said he was, _when_ he said. Which meant...

What?

Something weird and supernatural, assuredly. And something not altogether uncommon when dealing with a magnet of all things strange and freaky like Watanuki.

One more incident to add to his repertoire of bizarre occurrences. He was building up quite the collection.

Oh, oops. Watanuki had stopped speaking again. And there was that look on his face again too.

Doumeki wished fervently that the other boy would stop looking at him like that. It was such a confusing myriad of emotions, the likes of which Doumeki had never had directed at him before by anyone. It made him want to promise anything, do anything, just to wipe that expression off Watanuki's face. To remove that hurt look from his eyes.

But if he was correct in his guess, and as strange and incomprehensible as it seemed, the archer was pretty sure that the Watanuki in front of him was not the one he had know for the past two and a half years.

Which meant he didn't really know anything at all about this person. And he was never really in the habit of trying to comfort people he didn't know.

Doumeki realized after a second that he had been staring, unblinking, at the boy in front of him as he was thinking and thought maybe he should say something to try and ease his confusion a bit.

"Watanuki..."

Ah, damn. Apparently he had messed it up already.

Tears had formed suddenly in familiar blue eyes. With a voice that sounded like it might start to burst out crying at any minute, Watanuki asked, "Why do you keep saying that? Why are you looking at me so coldly," his voice wavered and the hand holding his tightened even more, "I don't know what I did, but please, talk to me. Shizuka... Please tell me what's wrong." A tear trembled hesitantly at the corner of one eye. _Their _eye. He blinked and it slipped silently down his cheek.

Doumeki's heart skipped traitorously in his chest at his name, even as it ached to see his friend, no, this person who looked like his friend, appearing so lost and confused. With an inward sigh of regret, he tried to pull his hand from the smaller teen's grasp. Long, slender fingers clung to him as he attempted to retract his hand, forcing him to stay.

"No..."

"I'm going to make some tea. Stay here." The taller boy made to stand up, leaving Watanuki little choice but to let go or be dragged up with him.

Or... he could jerk him back down and cause them both to fall back onto the futon in an untidy heap.

Apparently, Watanuki was going with the third option.

Doumeki barely got his other hand in front of him in time to keep from crushing the thin form beneath him. His other hand was still joined with Watanuki's and so he landed rather lopsided, on one elbow with their joined hands stretching up above the shorter boy's head, where it rested once more on the pillow. With his knees straddling one long leg and his face mere inches from Watanuki's own, Doumeki couldn't help but think somewhere in the back of his mind that their positions might look a bit compromising to anyone who might happen to step in on them.

The rest of his mind was currently occupied with a kind of blank shock and dumbfounded fascination.

Boy's... really shouldn't have such uncommonly beautiful eyes.

"Shizuka..." A breathy whisper. An intimate sigh of his name that Doumeki had only before heard in his dreams.

Watanuki raised his free hand and brushed fingers against the archers cheek, before trailing his hand around to grab the back of his neck.

"Please..."

Dear God, his heart was going to explode any minute now.

Breathtakingly blue eyes stared pleadingly into his own through half opened lids.

"...kiss me."

The hand behind his neck began to pull his face down, shortening the already small gap between them.

Cardiac arrest... was imminent.

And it was tempting. So incredibly tempting, to just close his eyes and press his lips against the other boy's mouth. To taste him and feel him move against him in a way he might never get the opportunity experience again.

Cobalt eyes closed and warm breath sighed against his skin. With a willpower he half wished he didn't posses, Doumeki pushed himself away from the other teen. Watanuki was surprised enough to let the archer's hand slip unchallenged from his grip.

With shaking legs Doumeki stood and retreated to the door. He kept his head down and carefully avoided looking Watanuki in the face. He may have been able to resist the smaller boy once, but he was almost certain that if he looked over and saw the same look of desperate wanting staring up at him, needing him, his will would dissipate like a pile of leaves in the wind.

"Shizuka!"

Doumeki didn't need to see the other boy's face to know there were tears flowing down pale cheek at that moment.

The one word said it all.

And he knew he was being selfish. He knew he should stay where he was and explain things properly, to try and sort out the facts for the disoriented and upset teen sitting on his floor. He also knew that he couldn't stay one more minute without flinging himself into Watanuki's arms and giving in to his previous request.

But he couldn't let that happen because of all the things he knew at that moment, he knew with the most absolute of certainty that the boy occupying the room with him was not his Watanuki.

"I'll go get some to tea for you. We can talk when I get back." Mentally congratulating himself on not stumbling over his words, Doumeki fled as calmly as his overheated brain would allow him.

He was truly grateful when Watanuki didn't call out to him again.

Only when the door was safely closed behind him and he had gotten what he deemed a safe distance down the hall did Doumeki allow his unsteady legs to finally give out beneath him. As he flopped to the floor, back resting against one wall, legs stretched out haphazardly in front of him, the blush that had been threatening to creep up on him exploded across his cheeks.

Doumeki let his head fall into his open hands with a quiet thump, the warmth of his palm even feeling somewhat cool against the intense fieriness of his face.

It took him two full minutes to chase the redness from his cheeks and recover enough composure to actually get up and finally make his way to the kitchen. Doumeki was sure though, that the heat he still felt from the other boy's body wouldn't be as quick to go away.

* * *

Thus ends chapter two. Thanks for reading. :-) 


	3. Chapter 3

Title-Transitions

Chapter- 3 of (uh...)

Rating- PG; Watanuki, you potty mouth

Disclaimer- They are not mine. Yet.

AN- Some words to look for:

Izakaya- Japanese bar or tavern, also serves food

Shoji- sliding door or room divider

Korokke- croquettes

Yakitori- basically, chicken kabobs

Transitions

"_You are not my Kimihiro."_

It took several seconds before the statement fully registered into Watanuki's shell-shocked mind. The intense stare from the kneeling archer didn't help matters.

When it finally permeated through the layers of hazy chaos, however, the response was immediate. And loud.

"What the- Damn straight I'm not your Kimihiro!" Just hearing it out loud again produced a fierce rush of heat to his face. Of all the inappropriate things Doumeki had ever said, this was...

This was...

" I don't ever want to hear that from you again! Stop acting overly familiar with me, you presumptuous jerk!"

Really, what nerve! The bastard hadn't even asked first if he could use his given name. Not that he would have given permission. Well, he was pretty sure he would have said no. Actually, it might have been nice...

That didn't mean Doumeki could just go and say it whenever he wanted, right out of the blue like that!

And what was with the whole 'my' thing? Acting all possessive, like they were a couple or something.

As Watanuki's thoughts buzzed angrily around his head, he failed to notice as the boy beside him rose and leaned in closer to him, until their faces were less than two feet away from each other.

Before he could protest the invasion of his personal space (two feet was definitely within his bubble), Doumeki grabbed a fistful of his uniform and twisted the fabric, dragging him even closer. A dangerous look was in his eyes and Watanuki was sure he wasn't going to like where this particular path was taking him.

"Presumptuous?" The words issued from the taller boy's mouth in a dark sort of half-growl. "Overly familiar?" Golden eyes glittered with barely contained rage.

Doumeki gave him a hard jerk and fear washed over Watanuki, making his heart race and his palms sweat. Had Doumeki finally snapped? Had he finally said one insult too many and the archer had decided enough was enough? Please, please just let this all be a bad dream...

"I don't know who you are, but you _will_ give me back Kimihiro. Now."

The last word was emphasized with another twist of his shirt, causing the collar to become so tight he began to have difficulty breathing.

"D-Doumeki," he choked out, tears forming in the corners of his eyes against his will. It was the lack of air, he knew. Nothing else. "Please... I can't... breathe..."

The other teen stared at him, a frigid expression covering his features, the anger in his eyes the only indication of his emotions. Watanuki thought for a few desperate seconds that Doumeki would continue to hold onto him like this until he passed out from lack of oxygen. Or until he died.

Hot tears leaked from his eyes, burning two identical trails down the sides of his face.

Doumeki blinked and abruptly let go of the smaller boy, retreating backwards. As Watanuki sat, gasping for air, he thought a brief flash of horror passed over the other boys face, but he quickly turned around, giving the injured teen his back.

Watanuki couldn't be sure, since he didn't have his glasses on, but he thought for a moment Doumeki looked like he was ashamed.

He damn well better be!

Watanuki wisely chose to keep his thoughts to himself for the time being. Just in case the archer was still harboring any homicidal tendencies. One throttling a day was his limit.

And frankly, he was just too shocked to speak.

The only other time he had been treated so severely by the other boy had been when Doumeki found out he had removed a spiders grudge from him and placed it on himself. But even then, Doumeki had never looked so... uncontrollably violent.

Neither boy spoke as Watanuki gradually got his breathing to return to normal. Looking around, he spied his glasses resting on a side table to his right. When he placed them on his face, with a small inward sigh of relief at the returned familiarity, he noticed the taller boy's fists were clenched at his sides and there was a slight hunch to his shoulders.

"Doume-"

"I'm sorry."

It wasn't so much the words that made whatever he was about say die before it even got past his throat; it wasn't even the tone of voice the archer used that made him stop, though the rough whisper did disturb him somewhat.

No, it was the fact that the other boy was now shaking from head to foot, tiny tremors and small twitches that might have even gone unnoticed by anyone who wasn't really looking.

But Watanuki was looking, and he knew that Doumeki did not tremble for anything, fearless idiot that he was.

Which may have explained why he found himself out of bed and half way across the space between them before he caught himself. What was he doing anyway? The moron had just tried to strangle him and now he wanted to what? Comfort him?

Again the soft, low voice of the archer interrupted his train of thought.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. You..." Here the taller boy turned around to face Watanuki, mild surprise flitting in his eyes as he saw the other boy was no longer sitting in bed. The surprise was quickly replaced by a more guarded expression before he continued his sentence.

"You don't know what's going on either, do you?"

And though Watanuki was mentally filing away the fact that Doumeki had not only apologized to him, but done it twice, _sincerely_, he still found it necessary to speak without his usual sarcasm.

"I really don't. I'm... missing something important, aren't I?" He had asked it as a question, but Watanuki was almost certain that there was, in fact, something terribly wrong with everything. Something big. And he could almost feel it edging around the sides of his consciousness, hinting to him as to what it was. Different location. Different time. Different Doumeki. If not for the throbbing in his head, he might have thought he was dreaming.

But it was real. A little too real.

Suddenly Watanuki felt that he couldn't stand still for another second. What else was different? How many other changes would he find if he stepped out of this room? He was almost afraid to find out, but the urge to know what the _hell_ was going on was too overwhelming.

"Excuse me, I... need some air." And his breath was indeed coming faster, the room beginning to feel stifling and too small for both of them at once. Watanuki hurried past a silent Doumeki, with only a modicum of surprise when he wasn't stopped. A pair of golden eyes followed his movements until the door to the nurses office closed behind him and he was alone in the hallway. The bespectacled teen still felt the need to get farther away and made his way to the exit, his footsteps causing dull echoes to bounce off the walls.

Everything was as normal and unchanged as it had ever been, but for some reason Watanuki couldn't shake the feeling of unfamiliarity the seemed to radiate off of every surface around him.

The closer he got to the exit, the faster his feet took him, until he was full-out running by the time he slammed open the outside door and flung himself into the late afternoon light. The cool air relieved some of the suffocating feeling in his chest. He only slowed his pace once he was a good distance past the front gates of the school, his feet once again falling into a slow walk.

His steps automatically followed the path they had walked so many times before. It was almost startling when he found himself outside Doumeki's family temple. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised, since he walked past it every day now, even when he wasn't on his way to work, ever since he had changed apartments. He remembered how Yuuko had given him that mysterious and utterly aggravating smile of hers while he had grumbled about the fact that the only places he could find in his price range had all been within five blocks of Doumeki's house _and_ each and everyone of them in a place where he would have to pass by that damn temple _every time_ he went to and from school, unless he felt like walking and extra mile out of his way.

Hitsuzen, his ass.

Watanuki paused for a moment and studied the grounds visible from the entranceway. Funny, how he had never noticed that tree in the middle of the yard before... And he could have sworn that one house in back had looked a lot newer... And weren't those lamp posts in front of the main house supposed to be...

Watanuki ripped his gaze away from the temple and forced himself to keep moving. It was all in his head, as simple as that. He was just upset from the fall and Doumeki being all weird. Not that he wasn't always weird, but he was being especially weird today.

He was just making himself see things that had always been there, that was all.

But that out of place feeling was creeping over him again. And the little hints at the edges of his mind were now clambering about, trying to make themselves heard.

Eventually, he came to the split in his walk where he could either go straight, to his apartment, or turn left and go to Yuuko's shop.

He was tempted to just continue on home, crawl into bed and go back to sleep until everything started to make sense again. But he had a job to do and, he grudgingly admitted to himself, he really wanted to talk to Yuuko and see if maybe he was losing him mind after all. Or if it was something else entirely.

Maybe even that 'something big' that he was missing.

"Yeah, and how much will that cost me I wonder?" he grumbled to himself as he changed directions, veering to the left toward Yuuko's house.

The trip was short enough, but by the time he reached the edge of the wall that indicated the wish shop was coming up, Watanuki had his eyes firmly fixed on the sidewalk and his feet, refusing to look up at more buildings or stores.

He had been walking this path for more than two years and he knew, he _knew_ half the places he had just passed, he had never seen before.

A dozen or more brand-new stores and buildings didn't just pop up overnight. Price be damned. He needed to talk to Yuuko _now_.

Watanuki ran the last stretch along the fence surrounding Yuuko's place and rounded the gate post with an immense sense of relief.

Until he saw the large neon letters blazing above the front porch.

"Wha- What the...?"

There in bold red letters easily five feet tall were the words, 'Yuuko's Izakaya'.

And that... was the straw that broke the Watanuki's back.

If he had remembered to grab his school bag before rushing out of the nurses office, he would have thrown it. If there had been a person standing in front of him, he would have shaken them until they told him what was going on. If he had seen Doumeki at that moment, he would probably have run screaming.

As it was, all he could do was drop to his knees and slam his fists to the ground in frustration. His shoulders were hunched, head hanging between his knees, breath coming fast. He didn't know how long he knelt there on the ground, just staring at the stone walkway beneath him, silently praying that the world would be back to normal when he looked up again.

'_There is a perfectly logical explanation for all of this. Like, I've hit my head and am experiencing a kind of hemorrhage induced hallucination of some sort. Or this is an elaborate and carefully construed 'let's tease Watanuki and make him think he's insane' ploy of Yuuko-san's because she got bored or ran out of liquor or is having an off day.'_

Either that or he had fallen into some strange alternate dimension

Watanuki almost managed to squeeze out a laugh at that last thought before a snippet of a memory suddenly came to him.

"_Are you... The Witch of the Dimensions?"_

"_Yes, I have been called that."_

Eyes that had previously been squeezed tightly shut popped open as a quiet, 'oh' escaped his lips.

Then... it was possible that he...

Was it crazy? He didn't think so, not the way his life had been going lately. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. And strangely enough, he felt better, the tension in his shoulders lessening somewhat. So, if it was just a simple case of being in a different world, then it meant he hadn't lost his mind after all!

Watanuki blinked, slowly reprocessing his last few thoughts.

"Aaah!" The bespectacled teen jumped up, clutching his head as if in immense pain. "At what point in my life did waking up in a different dimension become normal!"

About the same time his hand first connected with a mysterious fence surrounding an even more mysterious house, no doubt. And about the same time he had crossed paths with one Ichihara Yuuko.

Shop owner, wish granter, dipsomaniac and all around pain in his ass.

"Yoo-hoo!"

Speak of the lush...

Watanuki spun around to face the front porch of the bar. There, standing in the partially opened shoji was Yuuko, one hand cupped around her mouth while the other waved back and forth in the air to get his attention.

"Part-timers who are almost an hour late to their jobs don't need to be standing outside yelling their heads off and scaring the customers away!"

Watanuki was about to shout back that she was doing the exact same thing, but changed his mind at the last second, deciding instead to just go inside and try to sort out this mess as quickly as possible. Dropping his hands from his head, he jogged the short distance to the porch to join his employer.

"Yuuko-san! I need to talk...with..." His voice trailed off as he approached the tall woman and finally got a decent look at her. He stumbled to a stop in front of the steps and couldn't help but gawk a little at the sight before him.

It wasn't so much her outfit. Compared to what she normally wore, it was downright tame, just some tight leather pants and a deep red tank top that managed to be both high _and_ low cut at the same time, a black sparkly butterfly emblazoned on the front with wings strategically placed on her, well... At any rate it wasn't the outfit.

Nor was it her hair, which he admitted was a little odd looking with it's different colored streaks of red and purple. No, it wasn't really the hair that was so shocking. But...

He had never seen so many piercing on one person before in his entire life.

With her hair pulled back into a tight pony-tail he could see them all in their shiny, metallic glory. There were at least ten in each ear. Hoops, big and small. Studs, some with red jewels, some plain metal. Clips, two each, one on top and one in the middle. All silver. One tiny silver ring in her nose topped with an equally tiny diamond stud. Two somewhat bigger rings on the left side of her mouth. One silver stud below her bottom lip. Three bars on her left eyebrow.

Did he miss any?

The shiny eyebrow lifted slightly and he was finally shaken from his daze when she rather calmly asked him if he was done admiring her and if he was would he mind getting his ass in the kitchen already, she had hungry customers waiting.

And one more in the middle of her tongue. A black smiley face with fangs.

"Don't tell me, Kimi-chan. You've finally decided you want me to show you where the rest are?" This last statement was accompanied by a leer that even the other Yuuko had never pulled on him before. A single finger trailed its way down her collarbone down between her breasts and lower still. The sheer wrongness of it made him turn bright red and hightail it into the waiting familiarity of the kitchen.

And one more in her belly-button. A tiny black butterfly on a chain.

As he rushed past her to enter the shop turned bar, her laughter ringing mirthfully behind him, he opted to ask her about traveling between worlds some other time. Like after his brain came back from the dark corner it was shivering in.

He decided then and there he really, really didn't want to stay in this world any longer than humanly possible.

As his eyes adjusted to the dimness inside the house, Watanuki took a cursory look at his new surroundings

Though he had seen the sign outside above the porch, he still hadn't fully grasped how much of a change would be made to the shop until he found himself inside the lounge area of what was obviously a very popular hangout.

"Alright! It's Kimihiro!"

"'Bout time kid, I'm starving!"

"Hey Kimi-chan, make some of those beef korokke like you made the other day!"

"Yeah, yeah!"

"Me too, Kimihiro!"

"And here!"

Watanuki found himself barraged from all sides by shouts from the people sitting around him on bar stools and at the tables scattered throughout the room. Trying not to look as lost as he felt, the still somewhat red faced teen nodded in what he hoped was a friendly manner with a smiled pasted on his face as he headed towards the kitchen area of the store.

But alas, even his precious kitchen had been the victim of an alternate dimension makeover. No longer was it the homey looking room with its small stove and island counter. Now the kitchen was twice its normal size, with two stoves, two ovens, a walk-in refrigerator and freezer, a deep fryer and an entire wall dedicated to cutting board space and utensil storage.

It was... a dream come true.

He was so absorbed in all of the new and wonderful changes made to the kitchen he almost didn't notice the other person in the room.

Until...

"Ah! Kimi-chan, thank goodness you're here!" A tall boy with short black hair and messy bangs flashed a relieved smile and came rushing at him brandishing a spatula and an apron.

"Here," he shoved the apron into the shorter boy's hands. Without even thinking about it, Watanuki put it on and took the spatula that was then handed over.

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you. I honestly don't know what Yuuko was thinking, putting Gingestu in charge of the cooking. I keep having to come in here to bail him out."

"What was that?" Watanuki looked over and saw a large box and a pile of vegetables with platinum blonde hair make its way out of the refrigerator.

Apparently undaunted by the gruff question, the boy in front of him grinned at the vegetable man. "I said, Kimi-chan is finally here, so you can take a break from burning everything."

The box was settled onto one of the counters with a thump and the person carrying them stepped back to give Watanuki a somewhat blank look.

"Oh, good," he sated before turning back to the pile of greenery in font of him.

"Well," the boy in front of him smiled again, eyes crinkling at the corners. "I have to get back out to the guests." With a short wave he was out the door, leaving Watanuki alone with the large pale-haired man across the room, who was currently cutting up a cabbage.

It took all of 5 seconds for the teen to decide what to do.

He smelled yakitori burning.

* * *

Immersing himself in the hustle and bustle of a busy kitchen was suitably distracting enough to keep Watanuki from having to think about anything too confusing. Things such as the fact that _everyone_ seemed to be on a first name basis with him and then some. Or even the fact that Yuuko now looked like some sort of punk rock covergirl. Or Doumeki... 

Having never worked in a commercial kitchen before, he was rather proud of the fact that no one seemed to notice that anything was out of place. He knew all of the items on the menu well enough so whenever the other boy (Ran was his name he found out) came in shouting orders at him he was able to keep them going out at a steady pace. He figured it must be because he was used to working under pressure and having food orders constantly hurled at him.

He was so engrossed in his work, in fact, that he failed to notice when someone came up behind him until a hand slapped down on his shoulder.

Startled, Watanuki spun around to see amused burgundy eyes watching him.

"Ah, Yuuko-san, I didn't notice you there."

One dark red eye closed in a playful wink as Yuuko shook her head. "Now now, how many times have I told you to just call me Yuuko, huh? You're always so formal, Kimi-chan."

"Eh, heh, well..." Watanuki was having a hard time looking at her with all the jewelry on her face. It just seemed so strange to him, although... He studied her again for a few seconds. Yes, it definitely suited her somewhat.

Still strange though.

Yuuko pointed one finger behind her back and he followed its path to a clock on the wall which read 9:45.

Watanuki blinked stupidly at it for a moment. Where had the time gone?

"Quitting time, sweets. You're such a workaholic sometimes, you know." She said this last part with a happy laugh that took away any harshness that might have been heard in her words.

"Come on, I bet Shizuka is waiting for you. Let Ran take over and get cleaned up."

"Uh..."

"Oh yeah, didn't you say earlier you had something to talk with me about?"

"Oh, um, that's right. I-"

"I hope its not about a raise. 'Cause you're worth it Kimi-chan, but I just gave you one a few months ago and I don't want everyone else to think I'm playing favorites."

"No, it's not-"

"Good. I'll be out front then." With that that older woman sauntered out into the lounge area, leaving behind a subdued Watanuki.

Well apparently some aspects of Yuuko were still the same. Such as her pushiness.

With a sigh, Watanuki removed his apron and placed it with the other dirty linens, then washed his hands at the sink before walking out to the lounge area.

Customers at tables were few, with the majority of people sitting at the bar drinking or conversing with each other. He spied Yuuko at the far end of the long counter taking shots with one of her patrons.

Clearly love of alcohol also traveled well between worlds.

Before the young man could think of a suitable way to get her attention without appearing rude, Yuuko, through that bizarre sixth sense of hers no doubt, waved over a dark-haired man to take her place behind the bar and excused herself from the person in front of her. Without once even turning around to look at him, she ducked under the counter and made her way across the room and through a curtained exit. The only indication that she expected him to follow was one crooked finger over her shoulder as she disappeared through the doorway.

Watanuki was too tired to do anything but obediently follow.

Pushing aside the heavy fabric obscuring the door, Watanuki caught a glimpse of heavy black boots turning a corner and set off after them. He made his way down a hallway unknown to him and up a set of stairs that he remembered being in a different part of the house. When he reached the top of the steps, Yuuko was already seated and waiting for him, lounged comfortably in an armchair in front of a large window. Her legs were crossed, feet propped up on a small, rather beaten-up table that looked as if it's only purpose in life was to be a resting spot for her boots.

She was currently staring out the window up at the sky, a lit cigarette dangling from one hand. Though Yuuko made no move to turn and face him, she nodded her head at his entrance and curved one side of her mouth into a tiny smile.

"I got a lot of compliments for you tonight," she stated without preamble. "You did a good job tonight, even if you were late."

Watanuki blinked at the unexpected praise. "Ah, well um, thank you." He shifted from foot to foot, wondering if he should just come right out and ask her, or if he should try to lead up to his request somehow.

"Kimi-chan?"

It took him a second before he remembered. "Oh, eh, yes?"

Now Yuuko did turn to face him. The half smile was still on her lips, but for some reason, Watanuki felt as though it didn't really reach her eyes completely.

"I can't quite remember, maybe you can help me out here. What was the name of that restaurant Shizuka took you to last week? You know, the one that you went on and on about that had that wonderful strawberry mousse." She took a drag from her cigarette as she waited for his answer.

Ah, here was his opening. Now he could explain everything and she would send him home. It was probably going to add several years worth of service onto his debt, but at this point, he was willing to pay just about anything to stop having Yuuko call him 'Kimi-chan'.

It was just plain embarrassing.

"No, I don't know the name. But that's because, ah... Well, you see-"

"You are not Kimi-chan, I know."

Oh.

Naturally.

Pop, went the vein on Watanuki's forehead.

"Then why the hell did you make me slave around in that damn kitchen all day?"

"Ho-ho-ho, well I wasn't absolutely sure, you see. I had make certain before jumping to conclusions, didn't I?" Her smile was full blown by now and her eyes danced with mischief as she tilted her head to the side, awaiting a response.

"Make sure, my ass! You just wanted someone to cook for you!"

One long finger set itself against Yuuko's mouth next to the two silver rings, clinking them together softly. A thoughtful look came to her features as she appeared to think about what he said. Finally, "Yes, that sounds about right. I wouldn't due to have me be short staffed after all, now would it?" A smirk replaced the thoughtful look as she placed the cigarette to her mouth again, inhaling and then blowing out large rings of smoke around her head.

The frustrated boy threw his hands in the air with a cry. "If you had just sent me home in the first place, you could have had... (he refused to say that ridiculous nick-name) your regular employee back to help you!"

"Sent you home? How would that have helped me?" Her brows scrunched together prettily, traces of her playful grin still lingering.

Watanuki stilled and glared at her. Why did she always have to make things so difficult? Fine, she wanted him to draw a picture for her? Whatever got him home fastest.

"I can only assume I've switched places with (would _not_ say it) that other person. When you send me home, obviously he will come back too, right?"

Yuuko was frowning at him again, but now her smile was gone and a serious expression was settling in her eyes.

"Send you home?"

He was beginning to get annoyed by the repetition. "Yes, yes. You send me home and we can all be happy!"

He was startled by two loud thumps as her feet fell to the floor when she sat up. The cigarette was crushed into an ashtray next to the armchair and one elbow came to rest on the previously occupied table. Her pierced face leaned itself against her hand as she studied him for several moments. He was about to ask her what the problem was when she spoke again.

"Kimi-ch-"

"Watanuki!" he barked, annoyance in his voice.

A humorless smile twitched briefly into view before wiping itself away. "Very well. Watanuki-san, where exactly is it you live that you need my help to send you home?"

"Er, well, you know..." He waved his hand around vaguely. "From another world out there."

Yuuko's eyebrows shot up. "Another world?"

"A different dimension, what ever."

"Different... dimension."

The childish urge to stomp his foot took hold of the bespectacled teen. "Will you stop repeating everything I say!"

"Well it is a bit strange you know." This was accompanied by an exasperated sigh and rolled eyes.

"You're one to talk about strange," was the muttered reply.

"What was that?" Maroon eyes narrowed at him dangerously.

"Er, nothing. But anyway, just grant my wish and we can move on with our lives, okay? I've had just about enough of this place." Watanuki raised one hand and waved it about in a 'come on already' gesture and closed his eyes to prepare himself for the worst. "So, tell me what I have to do already."

When he got no response, snarky or otherwise, Watanuki opened his eyes to see what the hold-up was.

And found Yuuko sitting straight up in her chair, looking at him with such a profound look of pity, he began to get very nervous.

"Wha... What's the matter?"

"I'm very sorry, Watanuki-san."

A tight knot began to form in his stomach. "Sorry?"

Yuuko nodded her head, her mouth in a tight line.

"But... What do you mean? You're a wish granter! I wish to go home! You have to help me!" Desperation crashed into him so swiftly he stumbled a few steps closer to the woman seated in front of him.

This time Yuuko shook her head, the merry tinkling of her earrings contrasting harshly with her sober expression. She rose from the chair to tower over him briefly before turning to place herself in front of the window, her back to him.

"I really am sorry Watanuki-san, but I can't help you."

"I don't care what the price is! I'll pay it off, I swear!" His body began to shake with uncontrollable spasms. What she was telling him couldn't be true, it just couldn't be.

"It's not a matter of price." Here she turned around to face him, outstretching her hands in a motion of helplessness.

"I'm not a granter of wishes, Watanuki-san. I never was one."

Shock momentarily stole his voice.

"B-but... You knew..."

A smile graced her lips once more, this one sorrowful and full of regret.

"My sincerest apologies Watanuki-san, I am a keeper of secrets in this world, so I see and hear things many others do not, but... I cannot help you."

Can't help him...

His only hope.

Watanuki was out the door, down the stairs and outside before he even registered the tears running down his cheeks, Yuuko's words still echoing painfully in his ears.

* * *

AN- Thus ends chapter 3. Thanks for reading. All comments vastly appreciated and shamelessly squealed over. 


	4. Chapter 4

Title:Transitions  
Chapter: 4 of (quick, stall!)  
Rating: PG- cause I like it that way

Disclaimer- CLAMP owns all characters portrayed within. See how fancy I sound?

AN- Sorry it took so long. :-)

Ofuda - talisman

Transitions

While he may not have been the culinary genius Watanuki was, Doumeki could at least say he knew how to make tea correctly.

Why was it then, he wondered, staring accusingly down at his third pot of ruined tea, that he couldn't seem to get it right to save his life?

The first mishap was an honest mistake. He had simply let the leaves steep too long, resulting in a murky brownish substance (normally not a problematic color, except that he was working with _green_ tea), something he was sure any sane person would have turned their nose up at.

The second attempt would have been fine except for the fact he had somehow managed to add about three times the normal amount of leaves and upon tasting it before serving (thank God he had decided to taste it beforehand), he very nearly choked on the bitterness of the liquid.

It was with a sigh of mild annoyance, and a heightened sense of caution he normally did not apply to the kitchen, that he made the third pot.

As with the second pot, the end result _looked_ correct and, with only a small amount of hesitation, after tasting it he decided it would be passably drinkable. He had even managed to set up the tray without any problems.

Until he knocked the pot over.

If Doumeki had been a swearing man, he probably would have let a few colorful expletives fly at this point.

But he was generally a calm person (one had to be when dealing with temperamental creatures such as Watanuki), and with one last glare at the spilled tea and an air of defeat he went to get a towel. After all, who was he to fight the inevitable? At least when it concerned hot beverages.

Well, orange juice was good for you anyway.

A quick glance at the clock revealed he had been klutzing around the kitchen for the better part of an hour.

Hmm, that _would_ explain that first pot.

He hoped that this Watanuki was more patient than his own. Though considering he hadn't already burst into the kitchen demanding to know what the hell was taking so long, where was the tea anyway, and never mind, just go sit over there and be quiet and try not to mess anything else up...

Well anyway, it meant that this new Watanuki had at least a bit more tolerance when waiting for him.

Doumeki padded slowly down the hall to the guest room where the other boy awaited his return, two cans of orange juice clutched in his hands. Stopping outside the door, the archer took a deep, steadying breath, exhaling gradually until he felt confident he wouldn't start stuttering the second he saw a pair of sapphire eyes staring up at him.

He began to speak before he even had the door open more than three inches.

"The tea didn't work. I brought juice inste..." Doumeki trailed off as he realized he was speaking to an empty room.

Guess this one lacked patience too.

He stared blankly around the room for a moment, head shifting from side to side as if he might find a stray Watanuki lying around if he searched long enough. But no, the only sign of the other boy was a neatly folded blanket on top of the futon with his old kimono robe in an equally tidy pile on top of that.

How... thoughtful. And very Watanuki-like.

Doumeki leaned against the door jam for a minute, going over the facts in his head for probably he twentieth time in the last hour.

Fact one: Watanuki was not here.

Fact two: Someone who looked and sounded like Watanuki _was_ here.

Fact three: Watanuki look-a-like obviously knew him in some way.

Fact three and a half: Watanuki look-a-like seemed to think he knew him _very_ well.

Fact four: Watanuki look-a-like was... very affectionate.

Fact five: He was apparently very neat also.

Conclusion: He had still had no idea what the hell was going on.

Method with which to proceed: Find Watanuki look-a-like and, without physical contact of _any_ kind, try to figure out where he came from.

Step one: Stop standing in the doorway like an idiot, staring at an empty room, making stupid lists in your head, and go after the boy.

With a quick shake of his head, Doumeki pushed away from the frame and went to put the juice back. On the off chance that the other boy had merely gotten lost trying to find him, Doumeki did a brief tour through his home, poking his head into several rooms and hallways before satisfying himself that Watanuki was no longer in the building.

He spied him mother in one room pouring over some papers, a calculator in front of her, a pencil in one hand, and a frown on her face. He knew she was most likely going over their finances for the month and so only dropped a quick kiss on top of her head with a soft, "I'll be out for a while," before leaving her once more to the budget.

Without looking up from the desk, she raised a hand in farewell and distractedly told him not to forget to take an umbrella.

"I won't." He quietly shut the door behind him and went off to follow her advice.

It was not until he slid the outside door shut behind him, opened his umbrella, and took his first step down the stairs leading to the walkway that he realized he didn't even know where he was going.

He paused for a second, his foot halfway down the next step, and ran over his options. The way he figured, there were only three places Watanuki would be likely to go. And since this person seemed to be eerily similar to Watanuki, it may have been safe to say that he would go to the same places.

Theoretically.

Yuuko's shop was the most obvious choice, but since he had no way of getting to the other boy if he _did_ happen to be inside, and he didn't particularly feel like waiting outside in the rain until the stranger decided to come out, Doumeki thought he might just check his other options first.

Being thorough never hurt, and hey, it was better than sitting at home trying to wrap his brain around what had happened in that room.

So.

His first stop was the park. He wasn't entirely sure what it was that drew the bespectacled teen there, but he was nonetheless. Doumeki had a theory that maybe the smaller boy had often gone to the park with his parents when he was younger. He had never actually asked, but sometimes when he was on his was home from a late practice he would see Watanuki sitting on a bench looking up at the sky, or on the swings, occasionally pushing off with his feet as he stared at the ground. Once he had even spied him on the very top of the jungle gym, perched precariously across two bars with his long legs drawn up so his knees were touching his chin. He had been staring off into the distance, and when Doumeki followed his gaze he saw a family playing together with a little boy of about five years.

Doumeki clearly remembered that day. It was the first time he had ever felt the urge to hug another guy.

Since it had been raining all day, it was no surprise when he found the park completely deserted. There was no sign of Watanuki, but the park was large and had several jogging trails that lead off in to the woods. Doumeki chose one at random and began to wander down the narrow dirt path, letting his thoughts drift along the same pace as his feet.

He often times found himself wondering, mostly as of late, what it was about the other young man that fascinated him so much.

At first, before he had ever gotten to know him, Watanuki had just been a quiet, studious boy he occasionally saw around school. The only class they had shared was gym, and even though they were sometimes on the same team, they had never really talked to each other.

Then the day of The Fight came.

Doumeki now separated his life into two distinct parts. There was his life before The Fight, and there was life after The Fight. Because that one little fight had brought something into his life that he hadn't known was lacking. Or rather, some_one_.

That particular day had started out just like every other one and had ended just like every other one, with only one small incident between beginning and ending to distinguish it as different from the rest.

It had been soccer that day. It had also been very hot that day. School had only just started a few weeks prior, placing the day at about end of April . Doumeki supposed that he probably should have known the exact date, should have it circled on his calendar in fact, but he had never really felt the need to pinpoint the exact day.

A hot day at the end of April was close enough for him, and he pretty sure no one else gave a damn.

The first jogging path turned back on itself and popped Doumeki back out to the main part of the park. There were two trails left; he chose the one on the right.

Of all things, it was a compliment that set the whole thing into motion. From Watanuki no less. It was the first and last genuine praise he received from the bespectacled boy. Doumeki briefly spared a thought wondering if he had known then that he would never be granted such a courtesy again, if he would have acted the same.

The answer, of course, was yes.

He got too many compliments already, but the snark...

_That_ he would never get enough of.

Now what exactly was it he said? Oh yeah...

"_That was a great save Doumeki-san! I'm glad you're on **my** team." _

The smaller teen had then flashed him the sweetest smile he had ever seen on a boy. With his cheeks pink from running, blue eyes wide, and his hair sweaty and ruffled, Doumeki was sure he was looking at some sort of earthbound angel.

Since when had he thought of a guy looking angelic?

The thought had confused him and he had turned away abruptly, giving the other boy his back.

"_Hey!"_

Against his better judgment, he had turned back around. The smile was gone, replaced by a disapproving frown.

He said nothing, but that only seemed to irritate Watanuki even more. One skinny arm propped itself against an equally skinny hip.

'_It's polite to say thank you when someone gives you a compliment, you know."_

He knew.

"_So?"_ Narrowed blue eyes looked at him expectantly.

To this day he wasn't really sure what possessed him to say what he said next.

"_So what?"_ And then he did what Watanuki apparently considered a grand faux pas.

He smiled.

And he knew, even without the pissed off look on the shorter boy's face, that it was condescending.

"_You- you-"_ for the moment, words seem to have escaped the other boy. Doumeki could see him almost physically restraining himself from trying to blurt out something he might have regretted saying. Watanuki was, after all, a rather polite boy.

But for some reason, he had the most curious urge to know what his teammate was really thinking at that moment.

Watanuki finally spun around in a huff, sitting back down on the bench by the sideline. His expression was still somewhat put out as he picked up a bottle of water from beneath the seat.

The last bottle of water, Doumeki noted.

Unexpectedly Watanuki turned back to him and addressed him in rather cold tone.

"_You know, you're not anything like people say."_ His eyes narrowed again and he stood abruptly, jabbing the water bottle in his direction for emphasis. "_You're not cool at all! In fact, you-"_

The smaller boy broke off in mid-exclamation, mouth gaping, as Doumeki snatched the bottle of water out of his hand and proceeded to down it in four gulps.

The silence was palpable. Watanuki stood for a moment, mouth hanging open slightly and eyes wide, as if he couldn't quite believe what had just happened.

Just to remind him, Doumeki deliberately screwed the top back on and handed back the now empty bottle.

It didn't take long.

"_Wha- what the hell was that? That was **my** water, you jerk!" _

"Those who have to work twice as hard to make up for their lacking teammates should get first dibs." He made sure to give a pointed look at the 'lacking teammates' part.

"_Why, you..."_ The water bottle crunched loudly in Watanuki's fist and Doumeki was pretty sure there was now a twitch in the boy's left eye.

Something about the shorter boy's genuine irritation intrigued him in a way he was pretty sure wasn't entirely healthy.

But it _was_ kind of fun.

The thought caused another tugging at his lips (unintentional this time) and the next thing he knew, a cursing Watanuki was shaking him by the front of the shirt shouting at him to wipe that stupid smirk off his face. After several more name callings, including one with reference to his dubious parentage, a teacher finally noticed the disturbance and decided to break them apart. Not wanting to cause an incident, Doumeki explained he wasn't being viscously attacked, really, the fool was just messing around. The matter was dropped with a short warning to not play so rough.

Said fool didn't even thank him for keeping him out of trouble, just stomped away in a huff as soon as the teacher left.

But it still brought a smile to his face whenever he recalled the livid expression and fiery blue eyes directing rays of intense dislike at him.

Yeah. That definitely wasn't healthy.

Only one more trail left to take. He didn't hold out much hope that he would find the boy down it, but his own persistent nature wouldn't allow him to leave the area unsearched. Thunder rumbled ominously in the sky as he started down the final path.

He had decided long ago that it was Watanuki's honesty he was drawn to. His bluntness and complete inability to keep his feelings to himself. There was something so ... refreshing about the way Watanuki always spoke his mind. Even when it included him being cursed six ways to Sunday.

Actually that was kind of refreshing too.

Before he met the other boy, he couldn't recall ever being yelled at like that. Not even by his parents. Guess he had always been a bit a goody two-shoes. He did well in school and got along with all of his classmates, did his chores, and listened to his elders. Never getting into trouble or staying out late.

Enter hurricane Watanuki.

Now he found himself breaking rules left and right, staying out _way_ past curfew, getting into fights (granted they were with spirits or people who were possessed by said spirits, but still, fighting was fighting), and involving himself in numerous practices that were overall just dubious and suspicious in nature.

And he wouldn't go back to his old life for anything in the world.

The trail ended and he was once again in the main area of the park. With nothing left to keep him there, Doumeki made his way towards the nearest exit.

Well, actually, there was one thing that would push him back to a life without Watanuki in it. Doumeki paused in his walk and stared for a moment at the bench in front of him.

It had been a real and plausible thing. And though it hadn't been much of a choice to begin with, either let Watanuki die and live the rest of his life without him or keep the boy alive and be forced from his life by the inevitable hatred he would receive, he knew that no matter what happened, things would change between them.

It honestly hadn't occurred to him that the changes might be for the better.

He had been certain, as he carried the unconscious body of his friend to the empty lot where Watanuki disappeared every afternoon, that it would be the last time he ever came to that place again. That he would never again be able to stand next to the smaller teen and listen to him complain about this, that, or the other thing. Never be called any multitude of insults that would be thought up on the spot. Never receive a grudging thank you in the form of a carefully made bento. Never look into clear blue eyes again and see something beside betrayal, mistrust, and hurt.

He didn't want to see that, but he knew that he would have deserved it. He knew all this, but still, when he passed Watanuki in the hall that important day, carefully keeping his eyes straight in front of him, not daring to look in the other boy's and especially his eyes, he couldn't keep the tiniest of hope from glowing in his heart that maybe, just maybe, he could be forgiven one day. So when that one word, 'wait', was spoken softly, he heard it. Halfway down a crowd filled hallway with nose buzzing all around him, he heard that one quietly uttered word. Because in is heart, he had wanted to hear it, longed to hear it. Needed to hear it.

Doumeki shook his head to clear away his musings and turned away from the bench. The time for reminiscing was over. Obviously the boy was not here. He started off to the exit once more, not looking back.

He had to find Watanuki.

* * *

It occurred to him, with some amusement, that the few times he had stopped by Watanuki's apartment he had never actually come to the front door. How ironic that the first time he came to visit properly, it wasn't actually Watanuki he was coming to see. 

He shook his umbrella out and left it by the entry into the buiding, trusting that no one would steal it before he came back.

The inside of the building was quiet, the stairs and hallways devoid of people, though he could occasionally hear noises from behind closed doors. It was dark by now, the sun having set as he walked to the building, not that it was much of a change since he hadn't seen the sun all day anyway. But it _was_ decidedly darker and he was glad for the small lights burning brightly at intervals along the walls.

The door was open.

He saw it as soon as he came to the last few step leading to the landing of Watanuki's floor. He couldn't know for sure it was the other boy's door until he saw the number, but a tightening in his stomach told him it was Watanuki's.

It was only open about and inch or so, not much really, but the fact that it even _was_ open gave him a bad feeling. He found himself jogging the last few feet.

He heard him before he even had his hand on the door to open it wider. It made him take special care to be as quiet as possible. Doumeki wasn't sure why, but he didn't want to announce his presence until he was inside the room, with the door closed behind him. Perhaps he didn't want the neighbors to hear. Or maybe he just didn't feel like hunting down the other boy anymore, should he feel the need to run away again.

Doumeki blinked in surprise when he entered the apartment and almost opened the door again to make sure he really did have the right number. After a closer inspection, he recognized all the furnishings as Watanuki's.

He did not, however, recognize the utter chaos and disarray that had found its way into the small apartment. This part, he knew did not belong to Watanuki.

All around the room various items were strewn. Articles of clothing, books, several videos, a couple of photos, a brush. Every kind of storage unit in the room had it's doors opened wide and it's contents lying abandoned within a foot or two of it. The desk to his left, usually very organized, was now a jumbled mess of papers, pens, and pencils tossed carelessly on the top, the drawers hanging half out, completely empty. Watanuki's futon lay against the far wall, partially unrolled and looking as if it had been thrown.

Careful not to step on anything, Doumeki turned and started off toward the sounds coming from the kitchen. He stopped briefly to pick up the photos and set them carefully back in a desk drawer so they wouldn't accidentally get trampled on later. The rest could wait though.

The kitchen had fared little better than the rest of the apartment, but he noted with some relief that at least nothing was broken. Just... incredibly untidy.

And there to his right, looking incredibly untidy himself, was Watanuki. The new one.

The smaller boy was sitting on the floor against the wall between the doorway and the refrigerator, knees tucked up to his chest with thin arms wrapped around them. His head was down, but from the shaking of his shoulders and the gasping hiccups, Doumeki knew he was crying. Probably had been for a while by the sound of it.

He stood, feeling awkward and out of place in the middle of the kitchen. Watanuki gave no indication that he knew there was an uncomfortable archer standing in front of him, and Doumeki wasn't sure how to get his attention without mortifying the boy.

He had come in with the intention of offering some sort of explanation, or at least a bit of comfort, but seeing the state Watanuki was in made him pause and reconsider his method with which to proceed. He knew he shouldn't really leave the other teen in such a condition, but... he was at a loss at what to do.

Doumeki hesitated for a bit longer, hoping divine inspiration would strike and gift him with a glorious introduction that would simulations make the smaller teen stop crying and not embarrass him for being seen in such a weakened moment.

Nothing of particular brilliance came to mind.

Being much better at working with his hands rather than with his words, the taller boy moved back to the main room and began cleaning instead. Eventually, Watanuki would notice his presence and would be able to suitably pull himself together before confronting him. Better to let him come around on his own, than to be surprised by an intrusion.

He was only half way done with the reorganizing of Watanuki's belongings when he felt a pair of eyes watching him. He stopped his shuffling of the paper's on the desk and turned to face his observer.

His eyes briefly locked with those of the other boy before the blue gaze quickly dropped to the ground. The skinny boy was leaning against the frame of the kitchen doorway with his left shoulder pressed against the wood. The arm against the frame hung limply at his side, while the right crossed protectively across his stomach to tightly grip the elbow of his other.

The skin around Watanuki's eyes was red and puffy behind his glasses and though his cheeks were dry, they too were red, as if having been recently scrubbed. His face gave nothing away as to what he was thinking.

Doumeki waited patiently for the other boy to say something.

It took almost a full minute until a hoarse voice spoke up. It was oddly unemotional for someone who had just spent the last hour or more crying in a little ball on the kitchen floor.

"You didn't forget anything, don't worry."

Forget anything?

"Ah no, I-"

"Trust me, you got everything, okay?" A trace of bitterness crept into the statement and Doumeki saw him hunch a little more into himself, as if trying to keep something from escaping. "There's not one thing left here to keep you from leaving. Right?"

Watanuki looked up at him again and his eyes pierced straight though Doumeki's heart with their emptiness. Not even anger flashed in their blue depths.

Aw crap, this was bad.

Doumeki took a step towards the other boy and tried to hurry an explanation before he got the wrong idea again.

"Look, I'm not really who you think."

For a second Watanuki's mouth tightened and he glanced away for a second before looking back at him once more. "That much I already figured out."

The archer blew out a breath and tried again. "No, you don't really understand though. This," he waved his hand around at the room they were standing in, "isn't where you belong. It belongs to someone else."

Watanuki had his head down, looking at the floor, a small frown curving his mouth. A minute stretched out between them in silence and Doumeki wondered if he hadn't really gotten through to the other boy. He was about to try again, when a quiet voice spoke first.

"There's someone else?"

Oh good, he understood after all. This might be easier than he thought.

With a nod he answered, "That's right. I'm not sure how it happened, but there's another boy, he looks exactly like you. Somehow you took his place here."

He saw the smaller boy flinch slightly.

"I... replaced him?"

"Yes, exactly. I don't know why you are here really. It would probably be best to get things sorted out as soon as possible and get you back to your home."

The words had barely left his mouth when Watanuki jerked his head up and looked at him with such horror that Doumeki immediately went on guard for spirits.

"What? Is there something-"

"You can't!" He was furiously shaking his head back and forth with a wild, desperate look on his face. He began backing into the kitchen, both of his arms now wrapped tightly around his chest.

"But-"

"I wont go back! I won't! Leave or kick me out, whichever, but you can't make me go back to those people! You promised... You... " he trailed off in a strangled voice and continued to retreat into the kitchen until his back smacked against the sink.

By now, Doumeki was more than a little confused. The boy didn't want to go home? He seemed terrified at the prospect even. Why? And what promise? Had he promised something to him? He thought for a moment as he watched Watanuki attempting to control his harsh breathing. He had barely spoken to the guy since he first woke up, so there wasn't any way he could have made a promise. Unless... Watanuki still though he was someone else.

And here he thought they had actually gotten somewhere.

How silly of him.

Doumeki couldn't keep the groan of frustration from escaping as he dragged a hand down his face. This was becoming incredibly troublesome. But then, shouldn't he be used to this type of thing when Watanuki was involved?

Okay. One more time. And if he didn't get through to him his time, he was going to say screw it and go home to take a nice hot bath.

Probably.

Doumeki pointed to one of the chairs at the kitchen table. "Sit down for a minute."

"Why the hell should I?" Ah. There was that feisty Watanuki attitude. Much preferable to the other, more unhappy one.

"Well mostly because I'm tired and want to sit down too." To get his point across he flopped into the nearest chair with a sigh and gave Watanuki a look to say 'are you just going to stand there?'.

Watanuki pursed his lips in a decidedly pouty expression and finally sat down after a moment. He purposely looked anywhere but at the taller boy's face and still had his arms crossed over his chest, as if in protest to the whole sitting down thing.

Clearing his throat, Doumeki tried one last time to explain their situation. Hopefully this time without too many misunderstandings. He didn't think he could take another tear filled look from the smaller boy. His Watanuki or not, he couldn't bear to see that face when it was looking so scared and betrayed.

Start with the basics.

"Okay, first, my name is Doumeki Shizuka."

That earned him a strange look.

"Alright, now what is your name."

An even stranger look.

Hey, he had to start somewhere. Doumeki figured if he started out introducing himself as a new person might, the other boy might get the hint that they didn't know each other.

Or something like that.

"What are you playing at, Shizuka?" The frown was back and annoyance now laced his words.

Doumeki just looked the boy straight in the face and repeated his name again. "I'm Doumeki Shizuka. I don't believe we have met before. What is your name?" There, very polite if he might say so.

Watanuki blinked and stared at him for a moment, maybe trying to decide if this was all some kind of joke being played on him. Finally he answered in an unsure stutter. "I-I'm, um, Watanuki K-Kimihiro." His eyes shifted from Doumeki's eyes to around the room and back again.

"It's nice to meet you Watanuki-san. I would introduce you to my friend whose apartment we are in, but he isn't here right now." He waited for the other boy to respond, letting his words sink in.

The gaze flickered back and forth across the room again, slower this time, taking in all of the items around the kitchen.

"It's... nice to meet you too. Doumeki-san." The words were quite, but his eyes remained locked with the archers as he said them, looking for any type of indication he was being tricked most likely.

Doumeki made sure his gaze remained steady and calm, reassuring the boy as best he could with his composure.

He could see things beginning to fall into place for the other teen. Watanuki kept moving his eyes over the room, setting finally on the doorway. Abruptly he stood and slowly walked out into the main room. When he followed a minute later, Doumeki found him kneeling, picking up several book off the floor and putting them back on their respective shelves. He then gathered the clothing still on the floor and began to fold them carefully. Doumeki moved back to the desk he had vacated earlier and resumed organizing it once more. Neither of them spoke as they fixed the room. When it was as tidy as it was getting they both moved to back to the kitchen and straightened up the mess in there also.

With the apartment finally back to it's original state (more or less), Doumeki stood back in the kitchen doorway and watched the person in front of him.

Watanuki gave one last cursory inspection of the kitchen before settling his gaze on a framed picture sitting atop a glass shelf near the table.

"Oh!" The shorter boy stepped nearer and tilted his head up to get a better view. "Those are..."

"That's my friend and his parents. I think he was about 5." Doumeki stared up at the picture also, smiling slightly at the happy little boy in the picture.

Watanuki stared at the picture a minute more before turning back to the archer. "His parents, are they..."

"They died a long time ago."

A curiously disappointed look passed across the other boy's eyes. "Oh, I see."

"Your friend. What's his name?" He asked it politely enough, but his expression said he already knew.

"It's Watanuki. Watanuki Kimihiro."

Watanuki sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. A second later a short laugh tumbled from the bespectacled teen.

"I guess I owe you an apology, Doumeki-san. I'm sorry to have intruded upon you. Ha. You must think I'm crazy, huh?" Watanuki gave an embarrassed giggle and scratched his head self-consciously.

"Not crazy, no. I'm... sort of used to these kinds of things." A smirk tugged at his lips, thinking of what an understatement _that_ was.

"Used to this?" Watanuki raised his eyebrows in shock. "Who could get used to something like this?"

Doumeki tilted his head back in thought. "Well, it is different from the usual ghosts, spirits and monsters, but still in the weird category." He shrugged, ending his statement with a nonchalant air.

The other boy's eyes grew wide behind his glasses. "Ghosts? Spirits? M-monsters! What the hell are you talking about?"

Huh?

"You... don't see the spirits of the dead, Watanuki-san?" His eyes narrowed as he considered the teen in front of him.

Looking positively freaked out at the notion, Watanuki shook his head emphatically. "No way! Are you kidding! That's... so creepy." His eyes widened again suddenly and he clamped a hand over his mouth . "Oh, excuse me. I mean, er, do you, uh..."

"No, not me."

A short pause while the shorter boy processed the information. Eyes lightened with realization. "Oh, so then he..." Watanuki looked out of the kitchen and through the doorway into the main room. He walked past Doumeki and across the room, reaching a hand up to touch the small paper ofuda attached to the frame above the balcony door.

"I saw this earlier, but..."

He turned around and looked to the front door, seeing another attached there as well.

"Ah..."

"There is one in the kitchen as well."

"Why so many, wouldn't one be enough to keep them away?" He was back to inspecting the ofuda above the balcony door again.

Doumeki looked up at the paper also. It was almost time to replace them again. He would have Watanuki come over on New Year again to properly receive them. Maybe this time he would let him put them up for him.

"Well, one would be enough for anyone else, but... Watanuki is special, so he needs a little more protection."

"Special?"

"Hn, the spirits are very attached to him." Almost literally, he thought, remembering the pipe fox's love of wrapping itself around the skinny teen.

"Really. That sounds... Scary." A small shudder shook the boy and he turned away from the balcony and looked at Doumeki once more.

"Yeah."

There was a moment where it looked as though Watanuki wanted to say something else, but he stopped himself. He fiddled with the bottom of his shirt. "Er, Doumeki-san."

"Hn?"

"Ah, I don't know how to ask really, but, um." He shifted his weight and looked at the floor.

"I, don't really know where I am and, um." Shift.

"You've been so patient with me, and I'm very grateful! But, I..." Shift, shift.

It was somewhat amusing to see Watanuki all nervous and awkward like this, but Doumeki firmly reminded himself that this was _not_ his Watanuki and he really shouldn't be enjoying the other boy's discomfort.

One more minute and he'd take pity on him. Two at most.

"That is, I know this isn't really something I should ask, since we aren't very well acquainted at all..."

Squirm, shift.

"I... don't really have anyone around here I know though. And, I wondered..."

Okay, okay. He'd suffered enough.

"You can stay here."

Relief flooded the boys face when he looked up again. "Really? Your friend don't mind?"

"Somehow, I think he might understand." Maybe. This was Watanuki after all, so he might just get yelled at for offering up his apartment so freely, but...

Oh well.

"Ah, thank you very much." And the boy actually bowed to him!

So this was what a courteous Watanuki looked like. It was...

Odd.

"Then, if you're okay here-"

"Ah! Are you leaving already?" Wide blue eyes looked at him with a hint of panic.

Doumeki paused. He had planned on going home as soon as the other boy was caught up and settled in, but it seemed like there was something else bothering him.

"Will you be alright by yourself?"

"Oh." His eyes shifted to the right. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Of course." He looked back and smiled. "I promise not to mess the place up again."

There was something about the way he glanced away when he spoke that made Doumeki think of a little kid who couldn't look their parents in the eye when they lied.

He made a quick decision and walked over to Watanuki's dresser, pulling open the drawer and grabbling some clothing and his spare uniform. Then he searched around until he spotted Watanuki's umbrella.

"What are-"

Doumeki stood abruptly and faced the shorter boy, shoving the umbrella in his arms.

"Come on."

"Huh?"

"You'll stay at my house."

"Ah! Wha-"

"I'm leaving now, you coming?" He headed towards the door and opened it without looking back.

"W-wait a minute."

He was out the door and halfway down the stairs before he heard the jingle of keys and the turning of a lock.

"Hey, wait for me!"

He waited.

When the footsteps caught up to him, he resumed his pace. Together they walked out of the building and out into the chilly night air and slow drizzle.

Oh good, his umbrella was still there.

"Are you sure this is okay, Doumeki-san."

"Uh-huh."

"But your parents..."

"They won't mind either."

"Oh." He did a little bit of fidgeting as they walked.

"I'm not really sure how long, um-"

"That's fine."

"I'll pay for my room when I get another job."

Doumeki gave him a look before returning his gaze to the sidewalk in front of him. "You don't have to pay. I live in a temple. We're used to having people stay with us."

"Oh, you too."

"Hmm?"

Watanuki laughed a little. "Oh, I just know someone else who lives in a temple, well used to live in a temple anyway."

"The one who looks like me?" He turned his head slightly to look at the other teen.

"Yeah." He gave a small smile, that Doumeki knew was directed at someone else.

"You can help out with the chores as payment."

"Ah, okay." A real smile this time. "Say, I can cook pretty well. I could cook for you and your family if you like. I'm used to making food for crowds."

Doumeki considered the boy beside him for a minute before answering. It wasn't that he didn't think he wouldn't be any good, but...

"No, that's alright. Just sweeping and keeping the grounds should be enough."

Watanuki nodded. "Well, if you change your mind."

"Hn."

The rest of the way to the temple was walked in silence, though it was comfortable enough, even with the odd circumstances.

When Doumeki entered his house he first sought out his parent and explained to him how his friend needed a place to stay since he had been kicked out of his apartment temporarily due to maitenance. As he knew they would, they agreed to let him stay in the guest bedroom.

They ate dinner a little while later, his parents adoring Watanuki's politeness and manners. So much so, Doumeki wondered why he had never thought to invite his Watanuki over for dinner before.

Oh yeah. Because _he_ was always the one to make dinner. Hmm, maybe he would invite him over once he came back. It was worth mentioning anyway. The worst that could happen would be a refusal and perhaps a few loud remarks.

He got Watanuki comfortably set up in the guestroom and gave him a spare toothbrush. He told the smaller boy he was free to wander as he pleased but to stay inside since it was easy to get lost outside. He got a small grin at his last warning, but otherwise the boy agreed to his condition.

Doumeki went to his own room to try and catch up with his schoolwork, wondering if he had missed anything important that day. After a while he looked at the clock and figured it was time for bed. He left his room to go see if Watanuki was going to be joining him at school the next day and was surprised to run into him as soon as he turned the corner.

"Ah, Doumeki-san! Excuse me." The shorter boy gave an embarrassed smile. "I was just coming to ask you for an alarm clock."

"You'll be going to school then?"

A crease formed between blue eyes for a moment. "Do you think that's okay? I looked through your friend's schoolbag and we seem to have the same classes, so I thought..."

"That should be fine. He won't get marked absent this way either. I'll get you a clock." Doumeki turned back to his room and rooted around in his desk until he found his old alarm clock in the back of one drawer.

He handed the clock to Watanuki, but the boy didn't turn to go back to his room immediately. He shifted on his feet and Doumeki figured he had something to ask again.

"What else?"

"Huh?" The boy looked up from the floor in surprise, then grinned sheepishly. "Oh, well... It's just that this is really odd isn't it? I can't help but hope that I'll wake up tomorrow and be home in my own bed."

Doumeki had a feeling it wasn't going to be so easy, but kept quiet. "Maybe," he said instead.

"Yeah... maybe." And the smile turned a little wistful. Maybe he had that feeling too.

"Well then, good night Doumeki-san. And thank you again for letting me stay in your home."

"Yes, good night. Watanuki-san."

With a final wave the smaller teen left, closing the door softly behind him.

As Doumeki settled down to sleep, he couldn't help but wonder if his own Watanuki was safe and well off wherever he was. It was with thoughts of his fiery, blue-eyed loudmouth that he fell asleep.

* * *

Thus ends chapter 4. Thanks for reading! 


	5. Chapter 5

AN- It took a while, but here it is. Thanks for your patience. Enjoy!

Transitions

The dry and frigid night air ripped mercilessly at his throat, harsh breaths burning fiery trails down into his lungs. The only sounds to be heard were his own pounding feet and ragged pants. Even the streets were empty of cars and pedestrians. For the time being, he seemed to be the only other person in the world.

He _felt_ like the only person in the world.

Watanuki wasn't sure how long he had run or even how far. When he had exited the shop there had been no thought to where he was going, only the need to get away from that place before he lost it completely. Anywhere, anywhere at all, would have been better at that moment.

He knew it was somewhat childish of him to try and run from his problem, but the realization that he was stuck in this dimension, for who knew how long, had been too sudden. Escape, even a temporary one, had been the only response his mind could think of.

Hey, it usually worked on the ghosts, why not reality too?

But reality was something that wasn't so easily avoided, he was finding. Case in point: Where the hell was he exactly?

Watanuki supposed that he had most likely, subconsciously, chosen the direction in which his own apartment was situated, but somewhere along the way he had lost his bearings or missed a turn. Now, as he slowed his mad dash into a more reasonable jog and then finally a walk, he could see he really didn't know where he was at all.

The bespectacled teen decreased his pace even more, one hand to his side massaging out a cramp, letting his breathing gradually return to normal. Though he could see no familiar landmarks, he wasn't overly worried just yet. If he kept moving, eventually he would run across something he knew.

Despite many of the differences of this world, Watanuki had realized that the majority of things were identical to his own. At least in appearance, though not necessarily function.

What _did_ worry him, though, was the astonishing lack of spirits out at this time of night. He probably should have been grateful for it, and had more than likely just jinxed himself by thinking of it, but still...

It was almost unsettling how quiet and _untainted_ the night was. Not even the ever present lingers of 'spirit stench' were in the air. Almost always at night he could at least smell them, whether they showed themselves of not.

For some reason, instead of setting him at ease, it put Watanuki even more on guard. He couldn't help but compare it to the proverbial calm before a storm. The last time the air had been this clear when he was by himself had been... Well, he couldn't even remember when.

But when he was with Doumeki...

He wasn't going to thank him or anything. All the bastard did was stand there for crying out loud. It's not like he was actually _doing_ anything...

Still, it would have been easy to understand the pureness if Doumeki was around, but he was positive that the taller boy was nowhere near him. And even then, Watanuki had to be within a certain range of the archer for the stench to go away at all.

Thinking about it made him pick up his pace a little. Bad things happened to people who dawdled in the dark. Alone. With no one around to hear them scream...

His feet went faster still. No sense in waiting around for things to get worse, right?

Soon, the buildings around him became more recognizable until he was able to figure out his location. Not so very far from his apartment, just several blocks past it actually. He had missed a turn after all.

Watanuki began to backtrack in the proper direction when he stumbled (quite literally, damn feet) upon a thought, it suddenly dawning on him that he was overlooking yet another obvious problem.

What if the apartment wasn't there? Or even if it was, what if someone else was living in it? That... wouldn't be so great.

Chances were, if he explained his situation:

_"Yes, I'm very sorry to disturb you, but would you be willing to put me up for the night? You see I live in this apartment too, well not this one **exactly**, but in a different dimension it's the same one. Strange, I know; but it's the truth. And I don't really have any other place to go since you are here right now. Alright then, so... Got an extra futon?"_

Watanuki doubted he would even get to finish before the door slammed in his face.

Well, the only thing he could do for now was cross his fingers and hope that this alternate world Kimihiro lived in the same apartment.

Onward he trudged, resolutely attempting to think positive thoughts, though alternately trying to figure out what he might do if he ended up with no place to stay for the night. He sincerely hoped he didn't have to go back to Yuuko's house.

The human psyche could only take so much trauma in the form of multiple piercings and lascivious intent.

His thoughts occupied him for the rest of the trip to the apartment building, and before it consciously registered to his brain, he was already walking through the front entrance and up the first set of stairs.

Relief tickled hesitantly at his mind. But now the important part came.

When his autopilot switched off and he became more aware of his surroundings, Watanuki began to feel slightly nervous, his heart picking up it's rhythm almost in direct opposition to his decreasing foot speed.

Despite his attempts to stave off the inevitable arrival to his front door, Watanuki soon found himself staring at a familiar set of numbers.

He stood, for nearly a full minute, simply focusing on the tarnished brass digits in front of him. There were no sounds of motion behind the slightly cracked wood, nor any indications of sleeping people. With a sigh and a swallow that only stuck a bit in his throat, the bespectacled boy reached into his pocket and withdrew his house key.

His hand shook imperceptibly as he slid the key into the lock and turned it with a soft click. The breath he unknowingly held whooshed out in a small puff and some of the tension eased from his shoulders.

It must be the other Kimihiro's apartment if he had the same key. And surely he wouldn't begrudge Watanuki the use of his home. The other boy was likely in the same situation back in Watanuki's own world and _he_ wouldn't mind giving up his apartment to the boy.

As long as he didn't make a mess.

Withdrawing the key, Watanuki took a brief moment to rest his forehead against the cool surface to the door and allow himself a second to believe things might just work out and return to normal soon, so long as he just held on for a while longer. He was home, in a familiar place, soon to be asleep with familiar dreams. Tomorrow was a new day. He could start over then and try to figure out what to do.

But for now. Home. Relax. Sleep.

Watanuki opened the door.

Two seconds, possibly three.

Watanuki closed the door.

The numbers stared him in the face again, seeming a bit more mocking than before.

Obviously there was someone very high up, with a great deal of power.

And this being hated him.

With a burning, vindictive passion.

The door opened inward of it's own accord, causing Watanuki's fingers to falls from the doorknob they had previously been resting on. His hand flopped back to his side, unnoticed.

A pair of red-rimmed golden eyes peered at him from inside of the doorway. For an astonished second Watanuki thought the boy in front of him might have been crying, but he dismissed the idea as absurd. Even in a different dimension, there was no way that was possible.

But back to the _real_ problem.

"What are you doing here?" The deep voice seemed a bit harsh to Watanuki.

"That should be my question! Why are you in my apartment?" Okay, technically it wasn't really _his_.

"_I_ live here. This isn't your apartment."

Watanuki glowered. _'I don't need you to remind- Wait. What?!'_

"W-what do you mean_ you_ live here?" This was Doumeki's place? What about the other Kimihiro then? It didn't make such sense to the bespectacled teen that Doumeki wouldn't live at the temple.

"This. Is. My. Home." He gave a short pause, as if to let the information sink in. "Why are you here?" The archer still had that sharp tone that Watanuki was beginning to feel ill at ease with. He didn't like it when Doumeki spoke to him like that. It made him feel... almost... sad?

It was a weird, unexplainable feeling, one he really didn't like it at all. And it also kind of pissed him off, but then again, that wasn't precisely new.

"But... You can't live here! What about the other boy? The- the one who looks like me? I thought he would- cause I have- and... You can't live here!"

Too much. Too much. Watanuki could feel the beginnings of a hysterical fit coming on. The only thing was, he couldn't be sure whether he was going to start screaming his head off or just drop in to a little ball and start crying again.

Either one wasn't going to be pretty.

Doumeki was staring at him with a wary expression and the shorter teen supposed he must have looked as wild as he felt.

With a sigh that even Watanuki recognized as 'resignation', the archer grabbed the bespectacled boy by the wrist and dragged him into the apartment.

"Wha- hey!"

"Shut up. You're going to wake the neighbors up with all your shouting."

"Ah, sorry." Feeling slightly admonished, Watanuki allowed himself to be pulled into the room and the door to close behind him.

A small table lamp placed on a dresser near the balcony dimly lighted the room. The lamp looked like one he owned, but the dresser was new. Watanuki had a sudden urge to explore the apartment, but knew it probably wouldn't be appreciated. He was just turning to the side to see what other obvious differences there were when a voice interrupted him.

"I take it you have no place to stay?"

Was there some unwritten rule that said every Doumeki Shizuka ever made had to be completely tactless?

As usual, the blunt words made Watanuki hunch his shoulders in annoyance and want to retort something scathing in reply, but fortunately he remembered he didn't actually know this person and restrained himself at the last second.

Instead, the smaller boy turned to face the room's other occupant, eyes on the floor, lest his irritation get the better of him. With a short bow Watanuki answered.

"If it wouldn't impose too much-"

"Don't do that." Doumeki's voice cut through the appeal before it even began. Watanuki looked up in surprise, straightening his back.

"Don't, what?"

The taller boy was already moving past him and Watanuki stepped sideways to let him pass, watching as the archer went to the closet and began to pull various items out, apparently searching for something.

"The bowing. You don't have to do that." Several more items went into a growing pile on the floor. A box, a suitcase, a stack of books, some board games, a small folding table.

"Oh, alright, I just thought..." A sharp look from Doumeki stole the shorter teen's words.

For some reason Watanuki couldn't quite figure out, he couldn't seem to get as angry with the person in front of him as he normally would have with his own Doumeki.

He wrote it down to them essentially being strangers. Plus, he kind of wanted to be on Doumeki's good side if he was going to be staying here. No need to get choked again.

"Ah."

Watanuki blinked out of his musings to watch as Doumeki pulled out a rolled up futon from the back of the closet.

How he had managed to fit it in there was beyond Watanuki, but he wasn't going to complain.

"Here." The archer was holding out the futon for Watanuki to take. After exchanging hands, Doumeki began to put the items on the floor back in the closet.

"Why are you helping me?"

Doumeki paused in his work and looked up at him, confusion and something Watanuki could only term as mild incredulity passing over the taller teen's features. But the archer said nothing.  
Feeling a little uncomfortable with the look he was getting, Watanuki tried to fill the silence. "Well, it's just that you don't know me and you seemed really angry earlier..." He shifted nervously. "This is kind of sudden too, so-"

"You thought I would kick you out?"

"Er, well" Fidget. "You don't know me," he finished lamely.

Doumeki straightened and crossed his arms in front of him, a gesture he had seen probably a thousand times on another person with the same face. For some reason, a pang of homesickness shot through him.

"Are you going to steal all of my money and leave in the middle of the night?"

The bastard even had the nerve to say it with a straight face.

Every last trace of homesickness evaporated as if it they had never been.

"Of course I'm not going to steal your money! Who would do that!? Don't even suggest stupid stuff like that!"

"First of all," Doumeki bent back to the stuff on the floor and now started to randomly chuck things into the closet. "Plenty of people would take advantage of the situation and steal money or other things."

Watanuki opened his mouth to once more vehemently defend himself.

"But." Doumeki cut the shorter boy off again. "I don't think you are one of those people."

His jaw snapped shut again. Who could argue with that? "No, I'm not."

The archer finished depositing things in the closet and slid the door shut before facing Watanuki. He gestured to the bedroll the shorter boy was holding.

"You can set that up anywhere you want. Bathroom's there." He gestured again, and even though Watanuki knew where it was already, he dutifully followed where the hand pointed with his eyes. "I think there's an extra toothbrush in the cabinet. And sleeping clothes are in that drawer there." The taller boy stopped for a moment and seemed to be considering something.

"I guess that's it for now. I'm going to bed. Turn the light off when you're done."

"Wha- Wait a minute! That's it?"

Doumeki had been heading towards the curtain that separated the rest of the room from his futon, but turned back at Watanuki's shocked voice.

"Did you need something else?" An eyebrow rose in question, but otherwise his expression remained impassive.

The question made Watanuki pause for a second. _Was_ there something he needed? Well yeah, but...

"I mean, don't you want to know what's going on?" He couldn't quite keep the exasperation out of his voice. Surely Doumeki wanted to know, right? After that display he had been witness to that afternoon, Watanuki was almost positive that Doumeki was in desperate want of getting back his friend.

A brief flash of pain passed though golden eyes so quickly Watanuki wasn't even sure he really saw it.

"I can only assume that since you're still here, that you couldn't find a way back to your own home."

That was true and Watanuki said as much.

"Alright." He turned again to the corner of the room.

"But-"

"Look." This time the archer remained facing away, one hand already on the curtain, gripping it tightly. "There isn't anything more we can do tonight. It's late. We're both tired." A long and weary sigh issued from a bent head and Watanuki got the impression that the other boy was much more tired than he had let on before. And not just physically.

It made the shorter boy realize that maybe the mental strain wasn't just his own. He would have to be blind and stupid not to see that the missing Kimihiro was very close to the person in front of him.

He suddenly felt very insensitive.

"Doumeki, I... Thank you. For letting me stay."

The only reply was a short nod and then Doumeki was behind the curtain and settling down for the night.

Watanuki was careful to make as little noise as possible as he set out the futon in the main living room and got ready for bed.

* * *

Sleep came in ephemeral spans, each short-lived period of rest punctuated by a gasping wakefulness as brief, unremembered dreams slipped quietly back into his subconscious. 

After the fifth or so time of resurfacing from a fitful slumber, Watanuki lay awake, simply staring at the ceiling, not even bothering to try for sleep again.

A lazy roll of his head reveled the digital clock on a dresser across the room from him. It was the same kind he had at his own place, with large red numbers that were tall enough for him to see even without his glasses, though he did still have to squint a little.

2:58am.

Watanuki closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, holding the air for a moment before exhaling forcefully.

This could single handedly be the longest day of his life. Granted, it was technically a new day, but he figured that since he hadn't actually gone to sleep yet, he could still count it as the same day.

Why he would _want_ to, he couldn't really say, but it was there all the same. Watanuki blamed his irregular thinking pattern on the lack of proper sleep he had been getting (or was it not getting?) lately.

Ah, damn. Now his head hurt.

As he debated whether or not to search the medicine cabinet in the bathroom for some kind of aspirin, his gaze wandered over to the front door, eyes seeking out the dim glow of a small white paper in the dark. A habit born from the need for reassurance and peace. A ritual he usually practiced before even attempting lay down for the night.

There was none.

Watanuki blinked hard, trying to focus his eyes as much as he could.

No, still nothing. It wasn't his eyes. There really was no ofuda above the door. Or on the side. Or below it. Or...

Watanuki sat up as the jerk in his abdomen threatened to flip his stomach completely over.

Not there either.

The tiny slips of white paper that always put his mind at ease were missing. Chances were the one in the kitchen was gone too.

A cold wash of fear slid over his body, causing his throat to close over the small gasping sounds trying to escape. His hands bunched the sheet beneath his hands in a death-grip.

Without those little papers, any kind of spirit that happened to pass by could come in uninvited. Any multitude of ghost or specter or-

His heart gave a mighty leap and tried to beat its way out of his chest when a hand clamped down over his shoulder.

"Aaah! Get off! No!" Without even thinking, Watanuki threw himself as far away from the owner of the grasping hand as he could, kicking out with a foot and scrambling with a severe lack of grace across the futon.

"Wait a sec- oof." A thump echoed behind Watanuki and he spared a second in his panic to look behind him and see what kind of spirit was so easily tossed aside by a poorly aimed and half blind kick with a shoeless foot.

Oh.

Oops?

"Doumeki? Ah, oh, I'm sorry!" In his distress, Watanuki had completely forgotten the other boy was even in the same room. The shorter boy felt a faint stirring of shame for having unintentionally injured his would-be host. "I- Are you alright?"

"That, kind of hurt," was the answer from the floor. Crawling back to the other side of the bed, he saw Doumeki sprawled: half sitting, half lying down and propped up on one elbow with a hand held against his chest. A slight grimace played across his face and Watanuki felt another wave of embarrassment flood through him.

"I'm really sorry. I..." What could he say? That he though Doumeki was a spirit coming to attack him?

It seemed a bit rude.

"I have strong legs..." he ended feebly.

"No kidding."

He probably deserved the sarcasm, but still.

"Well, what the hell are you doing sneaking up on people in the middle of the night anyway? Of course I'm going to be surprised!"

It was dark, but Watanuki could still see the light glinting off a pair of amber eyes as they studied him. It reminded him of cat's eyes, as they reflected the light in rooms too full of shadows for a human to see though. Seeing things that no human could see with regular eyes. But Doumeki _was_ human.

It was... disconcerting.

"Doumeki..."

The archer sat up slowly, grunting slightly. "I thought you were having another nightmare."

"A- another?"

For a second, Doumeki looked confused, then his eyes widened in understanding. The almost nonexistent light flashed across his eyes again. This time in the kind of gray-green sheen of nocturnal animals.

It was really starting to creep him the hell out.

"You don't have those nightmares?"

Those?

"No, I don't really have nightmares so often anymore." The weirdness of talking to Doumeki about nightmares was surpasses only by the increasing weirdness of the eyes.

With a tilt of the archer's head the weird factor raised another notch. Silver. Silver this time!

Creepy, creepy, creepy!

"Uh, Doumeki..." How did one broach a subject like this exactly? Was it really even any of his business?

"Hn?" Tilt. Back to amber.

Did he care any more if it wasn't his business?

Not especially.

"Um, your eyes... Uh..."

The boy on the floor straightened abruptly, fixing Watanuki with undivided attention.

"What about them?" The question seemed a bit too suspicious to be casual, and Watanuki debated for a second if he should continue.

Grey-green again.

Fuck it.

"They keep changing color! Why...? How...? What is that?"

Doumeki seemed to be contemplating something, brows drawn together slightly.

"You... See them change color..." Not so much a question as a musing of what had just been stated. Watanuki answered anyway.

"Yeah. It's kind of freaky." He waved a placating hand when Doumeki raised an eyebrow at the comment. "Er, I don't mean offence. I mean it uh, just looks freaky. But- but, not that _you're_ freaky or anything!"

Mouth, foot. Bon appetit.

An amused smile tugged at the taller boy's mouth for a second, before a more serious look wiped it way.

"This isn't good."

"Eh?"

Instead of elaborating, Doumeki got to his feet (a little stiffly, Watanuki noted) and approached the little desk lamp that had been on earlier when he first arrived.

"What are you- Ow, hey! Warn me first!" The tiny lamp seemed to emit an almost sun-like radiance compared to the previous darkness. Watanuki rubbed his eyes irritably in an attempt to erase the pretty little afterimages floating in front of his irises.

"Sorry." He didn't sound the least bit.

Payback for the kick most likely. The sadistic ass.

When his vision finally adjusted to the glare, Watanuki saw the archer leaning against the dresser, nervously tapping his fingers against the wooden top, a troubled look etched in his features.

Unsure of what to do or say, the Watanuki could only sit anxiously on the ground and wait for the other boy to explain what was making him so agitated. But then the reason for his own earlier uneasiness popped back to mind and suddenly the skinny boy was on his feet also, waving manically at the front door.

"Ah! I forgot! The doors! They aren't protected, Doumeki! The ofuda are gone, the balcony too. We have to put more up right now. It's okay with you here, but…" Well he didn't need to go into details. Watanuki was sure the archer already knew what would happen without him being around. No need to give him another excuse to feel superior. "Do you have your stuff here?" The skinny teen moved towards the desk in search of the proper charm making equipment.

"Don't bother."

Watanuki paused and glanced back at the taller boy in surprise. "Huh?"

Doumeki had his head turned so he was looking out a small crack between the curtains hanging in front of the balcony doors. He spoke without looking at Watanuki. "Don't bother. You won't need them."

Irritation began to worm its way up the skinny boy's back and into his shoulders, stiffening them. Arrogance was another universal Doumeki-ism it seemed.

"Maybe _you_ don't need them, but what would happen if you left… Kimihiro by himself? He'd have no protection against the spirits around here." It was weird to say his own name aloud like that, speaking almost in the third person, but Watanuki reminded himself firmly that it was a completely different person he was referring to. One with the same name and face, sure, but different all the same. Just look who he had chosen to room with. Proof if ever there was, that they were two very separate persons. And that one of them lacked quit a bit of good common sense.

For some reason, Watanuki's query seemed to amuse the boy standing across from him. "Believe me. Kimihiro does _not_ need that kind of protection."

It may have been amusing for Doumeki, but Watanuki was anything but. "This is serious! Without the wards… things… can come in. And… do stuff…"

He was being incredibly vague, he knew, but damned if Watanuki was going to stand there and explain to the archer all the nasty things that happened when a charm happened to wear off or get nullified. And to not have any at all? An involuntary shudder ran through him. That in particular was a lesson quickly learned.

Despite the skinny teen's earnest appeals, Doumeki still seemed unfazed by the lack of ofuda. He did lose the infuriating grin, however, which Watanuki was sure had less to do with being respectful and more to do with the fact that it was the middle of the night and the archer was working on less than five hours of sleep.

Watanuki was strangely unsympathetic.

"Are you just going to stand there and look out the window? This is a real problem!" On the verge of shaking the taller boy, Watanuki settled for a quiet stomping over to the other teen instead. He opened his mouth to demand some sort of answer, but was cut off by the abrupt shoving aside of the balcony's curtain by Doumeki.

"Wha-"

"Like I said. You don't have to worry about it." And damned if that smug little smile wasn't back in place.

Watanuki stared, open-mouthed at the newly revealed piece of wall next to the glass door. A thin section of wood approximately five feet by four inches was stuck fast to the wall next to the exit. Every square inch of the board was covered in beautiful shimmering writing that seemed to be made of light, but emitted no radiance into the room. Watanuki tried to decipher the words, but only ended up with a headache after realizing they kept changing, subtly and ever so slowly, so that it was only a mess off half defined characters, most not even in the same language.

"I don't… what is it?"

"Your protection."

Watanuki broke his gaze from the mesmerizing shift of writing and aimed a curious look to his temporary roommate. "My- But you said Kimihiro didn't need protection."

"He doesn't." And before Watanuki could get suitably annoyed with the oblique reply, he continued. "But I do. And apparently so do you."

He may have been sleep deprived and unbalanced with all of the newness of his surroundings, but even he could put two and two together eventually.

"Wait. You mean that Kimihiro doesn't need protection from spirits, but… but you do?"

Could it be true? Was there really someone out there with such a…

Such a…

Terrific sense of justice?!

"Hn."

Suddenly it was all worth it: Being dropped into a strange world. Having to put up with strange people. Rooming with a strange, uh, Doumeki.

All. Worth it.

Hell, even the prospect of not being able to get home for a while (only a while; he _would_ get home soon) was bearable now.

_Doumeki_ was the one chased by ghosts.

It was inevitable, really, that he ended up rolling around on the floor like he did, laughing so hard he couldn't breathe and started to get cramps in his stomach.

Also worth it.

"If you're quite done…"

"Just… just a… minute," he managed to gasp between mirthful howls.

"Whenever you're ready."

It actually ended up taking two minutes for Watanuki to settle himself enough to speak normally again, though he was pretty sure that the giant smile on his face was going to be sticking around for much longer.

When it finally appeared that the smaller boy was done, Doumeki broke his stare away from the ceiling and quirked an eyebrow to the teen still kneeling on the floor and wiping tears from his eyes.

"I'm surprised you didn't wake the neighbors."

"Oh!" Belatedly, Watanuki clamped a hand over his mouth and looked rapidly from side to side, as if an army of irate neighbors was going to burst in and start complaining.

Doumeki snorted in disbelief and shook his head. "You're something else."

Why was it Watanuki felt that 'something else' sounded oddly like 'an idiot' when coming from this Doumeki?

"Er, sorry. It was just, um, kind of funny." Watanuki felt the corners of his mouth pulling up again. "That you…" Biting back laughter and trying to speak at the same time was never easy. "Attract ghosts." Only a small snicker escaped this time, which the shorter teen quickly muffled with the back of one hand.

Doumeki rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "How is it you're still alive?"

The question sobered the smaller boy quickly, as the reason, or at least the reason's look-a-like, that he _was_ still alive began to show signs of annoyance. He had forgotten how bad this Doumeki was a hiding his emotions. And refreshing as it may have been to see a pissed off Doumeki, Watanuki had to remind himself that if it wasn't for the boy in front of him, he wouldn't have a place to stay right now.

"I apologize, Doumeki. I shouldn't have laughed at you." Watanuki got to his feet and bowed slightly in the other boy's direction. "I didn't mean offence."

A hand grabbed his shoulder and pushed him straight. "I said quit that."

Anger at having his apology so gruffly ignored flickered momentarily in Watanuki until he saw the uncomfortable and slightly saddened expression on his host's face.

He let it drop and let his eyes wader back to the board with the shifting print.

"Where did you get that?"

"My grandfather made for me."

"Ah." A fond smile found its way to Watanuki's mouth.

"What, aren't you going to laugh at that too?" And though it sounded almost annoyed, there was a responding smile on Doumeki's lips as well.

"Nah, I actually like Haruka-san."

"Ah." After a moment more, Doumeki turned and faced the boy next to him. "Ki-Watanuki-san, how long have you had your sight?"

Surprised, Watanuki blinked uncomprehendingly at the archer for a second before answering. "Huh? Oh, seeing- How long? Well, I was just born this way I guess. I mean… weren't you?"

For a moment, Doumeki seemed shocked by his answer and equally confused by Watanuki's own question.

"Born… with your sight?" Now an awed expression flowed across the taller boy's features.

Unease began to tickle at Watanuki's brain, mingling with embarrassment at the way Doumeki was looking at him.

"Wha- what's the problem? So what? It doesn't matter when you get it. You still have it anyway, so it's not that special. And stop looking at me like that!" Watanuki felt his cheeks burn at the way he was being stared at by the other teen.

As if suddenly realizing what he was doing, Doumeki started and quickly glanced away.

"Sorry. I've just never seen someone born with sight."

"Know a lot of blind people, do you?" It came out snippy and Watanuki didn't care.

"No, you dolt. Not vision. _Sight_."

And the way Doumeki said it left Watanuki no doubt that he was referring to it as Sight, with a capital S, leaving him vaguely annoyed that he now had to think of the word in a proper grammatical fashion in his own head.

It was really too early for this stuff.

"It's just that… everyone who has Sight has to go through a… process. They also have to register. Which is why you're a problem right now."

"Huh? Register?"

But Doumeki ignored the question, seemingly lost in thought. "I suppose we could just wait it out and hope no one notices. But if something were to come after you, it might be trouble. I guess we'll just deal with that if it happens though.

"Plus your eyes are normal. No one can tell from just looking; I couldn't even tell at first," Doumeki mumbled, half to himself, so that Watanuki had to almost strain to here him. "Except…" Here a scrutinizing look was aimed at Watanuki.

When the taller boy didn't continue, Watanuki anxiously blurted, "Except what?"

One side of the archer's mouth pulled down into a sort of half-frown. "Except sometimes your right eye… it almost looks… different. I can never really tell though." Doumeki tilted his head to the side studied the smaller boy again. "It's like I can see it, but I can't. Out of the corner of my eye… " A blink and shrug of his shoulders and Doumeki was back to the impassive look Watanuki was more familiar with.

"Never mind."

Unsure of what would constitute a reasonable explanation, Watanuki was just as eager to let the subject slide. If this world's Kimihiro wasn't a supernatural beacon of 'come-and-get-me' like Watanuki was, then he rationalized there would be no events leading up to the sharing of eyesight that he and his own Doumeki experienced.

For reasons uncertain, the knowledge left the skinny teen with an incomprehensible sense of… pride. These feelings abruptly got pushed to the back of his mind, as many of his more obscure ones for Doumeki often were. Time enough to sort them out when he was old and gray.

"So, yeah. About your eyes anyway." Watanuki waved a hand at the other teen's head. "You never really answered me before."

Doumeki heaved a sigh and glanced over to the clock across the room. "It's really too late to try and explain the whole thing right now, but basically, it's the Sight that causes the physical change. It helps us to see through the layers and identify anything from a different realm. It's also handy to locate other Seers."

"Other Seers?" Another new term Watanuki knew nothing about.

With a small groan Doumeki rubbed a hand across his face and sighed again. "No. That can wait for morning." The archer pushed away from the wall he had been leaning against and walked back to the side table lamp. "Let's get at least a couple hours of sleep tonight." He waited until Watanuki waked back to his futon before clicking the lamp off.

"But what about-"

"Tomorrow," was the weary reply accompanied by a soft padding of feet across the floor.

"Fine." And though he was sure it would be useless, Watanuki soon found himself drifting off into a deep and dreamless sleep.

* * *

Watanuki prided himself on always being on time for school. Learning was important, so following the path of logic, school was also important. Important things should be treated respectfully. So every morning, Watanuki made sure he had plenty of time to get up and ready. 

It was still early enough that the sun hadn't completely risen yet, though the indirect morning light had begun to seep through the material of the curtains and subsequently soak the floor and walls with its dim radiance.

The only thing Watanuki had every really mourned about his apartment was the direction it faced. He was ever a morning person and would have loved to see the sunrise from his window.

Having an alarm clock was, by now, more of a formality than an actual need. On most days, the skinny teen would awaken several minutes before the ringing would even begin, using the opportunity to shake off the lingering effects of sleep and prepare himself for the day ahead.

The room was quiet as ever, with only the sounds of early morning traffic and the occasional chirping of birds to disturbed the calm.

Even with the lack of sleep and all that had happened the previous day, Watanuki still managed to open his eyes to the familiar setting of his room at precisely the same time he had his whole school life. With this last month's exception of completely ridiculous predawn wake-up calls, of course.

He took a minute or two to simply lie in bed. If he didn't look around and see that he was on the wrong side of the room, or that some of the furniture was different, he could pretend that he had simply awoken like any other day. That the events of the day before were nothing more than a product of his overworked brain.

But of course he _did_ look around, and (of course) he _was_ on the wrong side of the room, staring at new furniture and a still slumbering (and also new) roommate. A quick glance at the clock showed nearly two hours until they were due at school.

Watanuki hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should wake his host up, but remembered that the archer only had morning practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so decided to let him sleep in a bit more.

Not that he was avoiding him or anything. It was only good manners to not wake other people up before they were ready.

Really.

Ignoring the little voice in his head that sounded aggravatingly like Doumeki saying, "uh huh,' the skinny teen pushed back his blanket and started his morning routine.

It wasn't until he reached the portion of his morning where he usually made lunch for the day that he hesitated. Would he be taking liberties if he went through Doumeki's fridge? He already felt guilty for borrowing the shower, but he had promised himself he would pay for what he used… somehow.

Should he make the food? Would Doumeki appreciate his making breakfast and packing a lunch or would he be imposing upon the other teen's goodwill? He debated for a good minute before finally deciding he would just ask the archer himself.

Watanuki crossed the room and pulled open the dividing curtain. He only paused for a second to take a deep breath and steady himself. Honestly, what was so hard about waking up a stranger and asking permission to cook for him?

Kneeling next to the futon, which he distantly noted was a lot wider then the one he had, Watanuki rested one hand on the taller boy's shoulder and gently shook him. Doumeki let out a sigh and rolled on his back.

Trying again, Watanuki grabbed both shoulders and shook a little harder, calling his name quietly at the same time.

"Come on, Doumeki. Get up already."

A groan this time, with an arm thrown across the archer's face for added effect.

So. Doumeki wasn't a morning person.

Go figure.

"Look, you can go back to sleep in a minute. I just wanted to know if I could- wah!" His words were suddenly cut short as an arm reached out to yank him down to the futon, leaving him half sprawled across a _still_ sleeping Doumeki and uncomfortably aware of the fact that the archer apparently liked to snuggle in the morning.

Warm arms wrapped around his back and squeezed tightly as an equally warm mouth nuzzled into his neck.

"Kimihiro," came the soft murmur pressed against Watanuki's throat.

Heat exploded across the skinny teen's face as he struggled to remove himself from the vice-like grip. When he finally succeeded in slipping underneath the arms he realized, belatedly, just why the futon was so big.

Lunch be dammed; the idiot could buy his own food.

He hightailed it to the kitchen and didn't come back out until the last possible minute.

When he went to wake up the larger boy for the last time, Watanuki made sure he was well out of grabbing distance as he shouted Doumeki's name several times while throwing a pillow at his head. Fortunately for Watanuki, this time the archer fully awakened, with only a groggy and half exasperated look at the unorthodox wake-up.

There was an unspoken agreement that Watanuki would be accompanying Doumeki to school, though it was actually closer to Doumeki raising an eyebrow at the school uniform Watanuki had on and Watanuki glaring back at him, defying the archer to say something.

He didn't and Watanuki claimed the small victory for his own.

It was somewhat awkward walking to school with Doumeki. It wasn't that he hadn't done it before, but more like he hadn't ever done it after being used as a personal teddy bear.

Instead of dwelling on it, because the idiot obviously didn't remember having done it in the first place, Watanuki tried continue the conversation they had started the night before.

"So what exactly is a Se- erk!" He was less than thrilled about the hand that suddenly clamped over his mouth and the glare he was receiving from the other boy.

"Don't. We'll talk about that later." The hand moved and Watanuki had the sudden urge to bite it, just out of spite.

It would probably taste bad.

"What the hell," Watanuki steamed, arms akimbo in an indigent pose of… well, indignantly. "You said you would tell me about this stuff today."

"Right, later. When we aren't out in the open." With that, Doumeki turned and started back on the path to school.

"But-"

"Later!"

The shout may have surprised Watanuki for a second, but I didn't keep him from stomping after the taller boy and muttering under his breath about the general thickness and idiocy of all things Doumeki in the universe.

He was, in fact, still grumbling as he caught up to the archer and probably could have gone on for a good long while, possibly even until they reached the school, if Doumeki hadn't interrupted his string of obscenities with a sigh.

"Look, I'll take you to the temple after school and we'll talk to my grandfather then, alright?"

It took Doumeki a few seconds to realize Watanuki was no longer following him. When he turned around to see what the problem was, Watanuki could only stare at him with an uncertain and slightly hopeful look on his face.

"What?" The archer turned and took a step back towards Watanuki, puzzlement in his eyes.

"Your grandfather?"

The confusion lingered as the archer replied, "Yeah, I talked to him yesterday, so you won't have to explain much." The excitement must have been showing in his face by then, since Doumeki was starting to give him an odd look. "You said you've met him before…"

Watanuki couldn't quite keep the delight out of his voice. "Only in my dreams! It's so great he's alive here! You'll really introduce me to him?"

A blank look and two blinks later Doumeki gave a slow nod and turned around once more.

Watanuki was too absorbed in his own cheerfulness to notice the general lack of response from his companion the rest of the way to school.

* * *

Thus ends chapter five. Great big thanks to my beta, Toriolees.

And, of course, thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

AN- Rawr

Tamago-zake- literally, egg-sake, (think eggnog - sake style)

Transitions

He'd had dreams about Watanuki before.

Pleasant dream, not so pleasant dreams, downright _un_pleasant dreams, weird dreams (he blamed those particular ones on the flu he had gotten last winter, apparently cough medicine and tamago-zake didn't mix well together), and some dreams he was sure that if Watanuki knew about would cause the skinny boy to run screaming for the hills, if not put him in a coma on the spot.

The imagination was a powerful thing after all, and Doumeki had always prided himself on being rather creative, or at least not very boring.

But the point was, having the bespectacled boy as the center of his dreams was not altogether a shocking occurrence. Even less so since he had started sharing a part of himself with the other teen.

So it was a bit off-putting when, as he woke up in the middle of the night for apparently no good reason at all, he was left with a sense of having witnessed something very strange. Almost a vision more than a dream. But that couldn't really be possible, since it was after 3 in the morning and neither of them had even had their eyes open. Unless Watanuki had developed a new habit of getting up and walking around in the middle of the night to look at strange paintings.

Hmm. A sleepwalking Watanuki? Not entirely impossible. The guy probably had so much energy he _had_ to work it off at night.

He was just beginning to drift off again when a sound came from outside his door. Eyes snapped open and suddenly he was on full alert to whatever was making the noise. Doumeki sat up, letting the blanket fall into his lap absently, ears straining for more sounds. Figuring this was what had originally awoken him, the archer slowed his breathing and focused on the door across the room.

The sound came again, but this time Doumeki could tell it wasn't coming from directly outside his door, but somewhere nearby.

Covers slipped soundlessly to the side as he rose from the futon and tiptoed to the doorway, pressing an ear against the wood and one hand against the door, ready to open it if something _did_ happen to be lurking behind it.

"..stop…stop… nnnn… Stop!"

His body moved without a second thought, and he was halfway to the guestroom door before he was even aware he had left the room.

"Please! Stop!" The fearful voice was half muffled and clearly not awake, but in the still night air, the words had traveled effortlessly the twenty or so feet that separated the two rooms. Doumeki realized, before the door slid open and his eyes automatically began searching for an attacking demon or ghost, that the other boy must be in the midst of a nightmare. The cries had been too weak and far between for an actual attack, but it never hurt to check (you never could tell with Watanuki), and it wasn't until Doumeki had deemed the room at least visibly safe that he made his way over to the smaller boy rocking about on the floor to try and wake him.

"Oi," Doumeki called softly, placing a hand on one shoulder and shaking it slightly.

The only reaction from the sleeping teen was a few head tosses and a whimpered protest. The archer shook a little harder and called again, worried at the incredible heat that radiated from beneath the material where his hand lay. Doumeki hoped the boy hadn't caught a fever sometime during the night and called once more, even louder.

In the dim moonlight that permeated the room through a partially opened curtain, Doumeki saw Watanuki finally open his eyes with a gasp and sharp jerk of his body.

"No!" There was nothing half muttered about the screams this time. "Get off! No, no!" Doumeki quickly slapped his other hand over the shorter boy's mouth and attempted to keep him from escaping by pinning him to the bed. They may have been on the other side of the house, but he was pretty sure his parents would be able to hear someone screaming bloody murder in their own home.

"Quiet. Calm down." Despite the frantic struggles to get away from the archer, Watanuki seemed to have heard him and gradually started to lose his will to fight. The small hands wrapped around the taller boy's wrists eased their deathgrip and moonlight-faded blue eyes blinked rapidly with increasing awareness.

"Wha…" was the hoarse response. The confused teen finally appeared to notice he was being watched by someone and met Doumeki's wary gaze.

"Shi- zuka!" Doumeki barely had time to prepare himself with that one relieved sob before the skinny teen flung himself into the awkward embrace of the archer. Holding his arms out slightly away from his sides, Doumeki debated if he should push the boy off now and save them both the embarrassment, or be kind and offer some obviously needed comfort. In the end he couldn't pry the semi-hysterical teen off of his body (though admittedly he didn't really try that hard to begin with) so the archer simply wrapped his arms loosely around the other boy's back and let him cry and sniffle out half coherent apologies.

As the thin body shook and clung to him, Doumeki found it was rather difficult to keep from simply laying his head against the one currently pressed against his shoulder and promising unreasonable things to stop the tears. His arms constricted around the narrow back involuntarily for a moment before he remembered who he was soothing. It was hard, though, to keep immobile and unresponsive with Watanuki's exact double literally hanging off of him.

He did feel somewhat deceitful though, and took to trying to lull the skinny boy out of his distress by calling Watanuki's name, so when he finally came back to himself, the teen would know which person he was being held by.

It was sometime after the tenth chant of, "It'll be okay, Watanuki-san" and other such variants, that the boy trembling in Doumeki's arms finally began to relax. Bit by bit, the tightness in the bony shoulders left and skinny arms fell away from the taller boy's neck.

Watanuki curled into himself, tucking his hands under his elbows and holding them stiffly against his sides. The shorter boy then pulled away until Doumeki realized it was only his own arms around Watanuki's back that held them together. The archer immediately dropped his arms and gave the other boy some space.

"You… probably think I'm… a real pain, huh?" Watanuki's head was hung so his hair covered most of his face and dark shadows fell over the rest, leaving Doumeki to look at what was basically a dark inky spot on the top of a small body. A tiny laugh that didn't sound in the least bit amused escaped from under the darkness, followed by a quiet sniffle.

"I'm sorry… that I woke you."

He honestly sounded sorry too. So much so that Doumeki wondered at the tone. Like the boy was used to apologizing for everything.

"It's not a big deal." And unusual though it was to be gotten out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to be emotionally assaulted by a virtually unknown person, Doumeki found his own words to be true. And here he had thought comforting strangers wasn't something he did. Learn something new about yourself everyday…

He'd really been hanging around Watanuki too long. The apathy to abnormality was starting to rub off.

"You're… very kind."

And apparently, the random acts of kindness too.

Watanuki was squeezing his arms across his stomach, head so low now that he was almost hunching in on himself.

"Really? I've been told I'm something of an unemotional bastard."

His attempt at humor seemed to work, as the smaller by looked up at him in surprise and blinked bemused eyes at him. "What?"

"Joke."

Sort of.

A miniscule crease formed between slender eyebrows. "O-oh."

So he wasn't a great comedian. But at least the depressed look was receding as his companion straightened and dropped his hands onto bent knees.

"You'll be alright now?" Doumeki was curious to know what had caused the alarm in the first place, but it wasn't his place to pry.

"Yes, of course, thank you. I'll be fine." It was almost an exact replica of the answer he had given earlier in the night, right down to the shifting eyes.

The kid really was a lousy liar.

Despite the self-made promise not to pry, Doumeki had to ask at least one question. "Do you have nightmares a lot?"

Shoulders sagged again. "I'll try not too."

"Don't be stupid." That earned him a small glare. "You can't control what you dream about."

"Ah," the smaller boy breathed as his expression cleared into something like fond remembrance. "He said that too."

"Your… Shizuka?"

"Mm-hmm." Eyes were distant as Watanuki stared of to the side, a tiny smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "He would say if I wanted to keep myself from dreaming, then don't go to sleep. Otherwise, I was just wasting my time wanting to try and change them. And that we would deal with them when they came. He… was always saying things like that. To make me feel better."

"Makes sense." And since the little smile on Watanuki's face was beginning to fade into something more sorrowful, and since it was unreasonably late and he was starting to feel the tiredness creep up on him despite his best intention, Doumeki figured it was time to break up the party. A new decision took shape in his head and the archer spared a brief thought towards his sudden penchant for impulsiveness.

Grabbing Watanuki's pillow and blanket, he motioned for the boy to stand. The smaller boy complied with a look of confusion and a short, "What?"

"Grab your futon."

"W-what?" The surprise actually caused the skinny teen to move back a step.

It was too late at night for niceties, so Doumeki laid it out as directly as possible. "Look, you aren't used to being alone, right?"

"H-How…"

"I can tell." Like it wasn't blatantly obvious. "So if you want, you can stay in my room. You'll feel… safer, right?" he asked as he knelt down and flipped off the borrowed alarm clock.

Whatever it was that gave the boy nightmares was evidently more than a 'once in a while' thing. And if it was more of a _nightly_ thing, well… he would rather not have to drag himself across the hall every night, anyway. So it was for slightly selfish reasons too. And letting the other boy scream himself back to sleep every night just seemed… cruel. And not an option at all really.

Instead of answering his question, Watanuki bent down and picked up the mattress from the floor and dutifully followed the archer from the guestroom, trailing him down the hall and finally into his room.

"I'm sorry to make you go through so mu-"

"Tell you what," Doumeki interrupted, turning to look the boy directly in the eyes as he spoke. "If you stop apologizing for every little thing, we'll call it even."

Watanuki actually pouted. It was… cute. "That's hardly equal."

Doumeki shrugged noncommittally. "Depends on the value to the other person of what's being exchanged." And this was where Doumeki knew he'd been hanging out with Yuuko for too long also.

"Huh?" A look of perplexity fixed itself over Watanuki's face so completely Doumeki might have laughed at it any other time.

But for now, all he did was give a quick shake of his head and a 'never mind.'

Handing Watanuki his blanket and pillow, Doumeki walked back to his futon ad motioned to the empty area next to it. "You can set up here or wherever you like." Then he flopped back down onto is mattress with a sigh. The skinny teen hesitantly followed and began to settle the other mattress about five feet away from Doumeki's. After a moment, he scooted it a little closer, then a second later, closer still, glancing under his bangs to the archer each time to gauge a reaction. Possibly satisfied that he wasn't going to be yelled at for the nearness, Watanuki finally crawled into bed after one final adjustment. Doumeki noted the original five feet was now about two.

He made sure to roll away from the other boy before letting the grin spread over his face. Wouldn't his Watanuki just have heart failure if he knew about these sleeping arrangements?

"Good night Doumeki-san," came a barely heard whisper, almost like the other boy was unsure if Doumeki had already gone to sleep or not.

"Good night," he whispered back, equally as soft, just because it felt necessary.

A sigh, relieved and content, floated through the air to Doumeki's ears, and he couldn't help but think he made a good decision.

* * *

There was something odd about the way the light woke him up the next morning. It was… different. He would have spent a little more time trying to figure it out, but something else distracted him at that moment. A couple things, actually, that made him think it was very possible he was still asleep. 

One was the hand currently attached to his. Slender fingers were interwoven with those of his own left hand as they lay innocently in front of the archer. Looking across the small hand and the pillow it was lying on, Doumeki found the sleeping face of its owner (distraction number two) resting peacefully beside him, the two feet that had been between them the night before reduced to less than two inches.

He took a minute to study the sleeping boy beside him, listening to his deep breathing and watching dark eyelashes flutter with every unconscious movement beneath the closed lids. A light pink blush was swept over pale cheeks, as if some wandering artist had snuck up in the middle of the night and thought he needed a bit of color. Doumeki sleepily wondered if maybe he was hot and reached out hand to brush against the smaller boy's cheek. His fingertips lightly grazed the arch of one cheekbone and a soft sigh escaped from the smaller teen's lips, accompanied by a tiny smile.

The hushed noise was enough to break through the remaining fog of Doumeki's brain, and he hastily retracted his hand.

Wrong boy.

With a muffled groan, the archer rolled to his side and looked at his alarm clock.

Oh.

No wonder the light looked so different; it was nearly an hour later than he normally woke up. Which gave them approximately 20 minutes to get up and get to school.

Crap.

"Watanuki-san."

"Mmm." Watanuki opened mildly unfocused eyes and turned in Doumeki's direction with an expression that clearly read, "I am not awake."

"Watanuki-san, we have to get going. We're late." Realizing now that it was his fault for their lateness (he seemed to recall waking up at one point and turning the alarm off, then falling back asleep), Doumeki added a belated, "sorry."

"Huh, late?" With miraculous speed, the lingering sleepy look was immediately wiped from Watanuki's face to be replaced by a rather panicky expression.

Doumeki stood and stretched out still resting muscles. "Yeah, we have about..." The words trailed off as he watched with increasing amusement as Watanuki leapt from the futon and began to race madly around the room, looking for clothes and school books and becoming increasingly panicked when he couldn't find them.

Suddenly remembering he was in the wrong room, the skinny boy raced out of the bedroom and across the hall to the guestroom, nearly knocking Doumeki over on the way.

"Hurry up, Doumeki-san!" came a shout, accompanied by the sound of drawers slamming open and shut and running feet.

"Huh." Must be a Watanuki thing, this early morning energy.

* * *

Despite Watanuki's efforts to speed their departure, they still ended up running a good portion of the way, though Doumeki had to slow down about half a mile from the entrance to let Watanuki rest. Apparently the lack of ghost chases kept him in a less fit shape than his own Watanuki, though no less painfully thin. 

As they walked the remaining distance to the school gate, the smaller boy gulping mouthfuls of air as he tried to catch his breath, Doumeki let his mind wander back to the problem they were facing. He wasn't sure there was anything he could do at the moment other than walk things through and hope for normalcy to return soon.

Truth be told, Doumeki wasn't sure how long this new Watanuki would be able to pass for his own. Sure, there were no parents to fool, or even many friends aside from Kunogi, and he didn't have any family to visit…

Actually, they might be able to pull it off after all. Watanuki's depressing lack of acquaintances would be a good thing in this instance. There should only be the teachers to fool, not that it would be hard; half the time his instructors had trouble recalling individual names without the roster in front of them. And of course Yuuko.

Who, by now, most likely already knew the problem, figured out where Watanuki was (if she hadn't already known that too), planned out a way to get him back, and was currently wondering how much she should dock the skinny teen's pay for services yet to be rendered.

They entered school grounds and Doumeki went back into class-ready mode with a final speculation as to when the eccentric shop owner would make her first expectedly unexpected entrance.

They managed to get through the doors with three minutes to spare and several students were still lingering in the hall as Doumeki walked Watanuki to his first class. When the archer made to leave Watanuki looked back at him in surprise.

"Where are you going? Class is going to start any minute." He was nodding his head to the side in a 'come on hurry up' gesture.

Doumeki pointed down the hall, sidestepping to let a student rush past him. "My class is down there."

Disappointment flashed across Watanuki's face a moment before he gave a good natured grin. "Well, I guess things are bound to be different."

"Hn, I'll meet you for lunch." And he was off again before the bespectacled teen could agree, or disagree if he was so inclined. He'd be fine in a classroom at least.

God, let him be okay in a classroom at least.

* * *

"Trigonometry is easier here for some reason. I like this teacher much better." 

Well wasn't _he_ adjusting well.

"And the woman that teaches history is very nice."

And quickly at that.

"I think I prefer my homeroom teacher though, I miss his jokes already."

But at least he still wanted to go home.

"Ah, Himawari-chan! Over here!"

Once a Watanuki, always a Watanuki.

"Good afternoon, Watanuki-kun. Doumeki-kun. Can I join you?"

"Of course! Here. Hey move over, Doumeki-kun."

If Kunogi noticed the difference in his name, she didn't say anything. Probably put it down to them being 'so close.'

"I'm sorry I couldn't make anything this morning, but we bought lunch if you want to share."

Automatic generosity, check.

"Alright, here you can have some of mine too."

"It looks great!"

Automatic compliments, check.

"Yeah, my mom made it special for me last night since I wasn't feeling well."

"And you're mom is a great cook. Did you have a chance to get that recipe from her?"

"Oh, huh?"

And just like that, pretend time was over.

Watanuki floundered for a moment. "Ah, I mean, would you be able to... that is. Um, get the recipe for me. Cause I'd like to try it sometime."

Kunogi's smile didn't even falter. "Sure, Watanuki-kun. I'm sure it will be twice as good if you make it. Everything you make is delicious."

"Th-thank you. Heh heh." A normal Watanuki reaction would have entailed much fawning and twirling, but now the skinny teen seemed reasonably subdued after his slip up. Nothing like having reality crashing down on you to break a daydream.

The remaining lunch time consisted of polite conversation and small talk of the more general sort, though Doumeki noticed that the smaller boy let Himawari steer their discussions from then on. The pig-tailed girl left them a few minutes before the first waning bell, saying she wanted to ask her teacher a question before class. Doumeki suspected she just liked to leave them together as much a possible, but never said anything. What was there to complain about?

Having finished his own meal a while ago, Doumeki was left looking at a sullen Watanuki poking halfheartedly at a pile of rice with a pair loosely held chopsticks.

"So."

The skinny boy looked up from his poking.

"All of your instructors are different?"

Setting aside the half eaten box, Watanuki leaned back on his hands and turned his attention to the boy in front of him.

"Well, so far I've only had one of the same teachers, but there are still three more classes, so..." He trailed off with a sigh and tilted his head up to look at the sky. "It's alright though."

"Everything happens for a reason." Blue eyes fell closed and a mix of saddened peacefulness stole over the small teen. "Even if it's not clear at the time. Things happen for a reason."

The kid didn't know anything about spirits or hitsuzen, but could still spout a Yuuko-esque paraphrase like no one's business.

Maybe this Watanuki wasn't so sheltered after all. Yuuko's lessons never came without some kind of price attached to them, and if this guy was able to understand a bigger picture, maybe something had happened to him as well.

Something bad enough to give nightmares every night and fear being alone. A person didn't necessarily have to be attacked by something non-human to fear the dark. There were plenty of scary things out there without having to deal with the supernatural.

The end of lunch bell rang, interrupting his thoughts. He helped Watanuki pick up the remains of their lunch and walked him back to the classroom.

"I have practice after school today. You can wait here, or go ahead to the temple if you want."

"Oh. Your, um, friend. He doesn't have a job?" Watanuki asked with a small frown.

"Well, yeah, but..." Doumeki wasn't about to let Yuuko loose on him. In some ways, he was even more innocent then Watanuki.

"Well, I'll go there then!" And the brightness behind then smile made Doumeki absolutely sure Watanuki had no idea what he was getting into.

"I don't know if that's a good idea."

The smile fell a little. "But... doesn't he work for Yuuko-san?"

The shock actually caused Doumeki to stumble to a stop. "You know Yuuko?"

Watanuki stood several feet ahead of him, staring back at him in amusement. "She's a character, I know, but nothing I can't handle." He motioned for them to start moving again.

A character. That was one way to say it.

But if he didn't know about spirits or ghosts and the like, how could he work for her? Surely even the most oblivious of people would start to notice things were a little off when hanging around Yuuko.

"Well..."

"Don't worry Doumeki-kun. I'll do my best and your friend will keep his job."

Who could say no to that smile? Not him.

"Alright, but I'll walk you there." They reached Watanuki's classroom just as the minute warning bell rang.

"Oh! But practice-"

"Just wait for me here." And again, he left without hanging around to hear any response.

* * *

Sure enough, when he arrived back at Watanuki's classroom, the skinny boy was waiting for him, talking amiably to a classmate by a window. The boy was no one Doumeki knew offhand, but had seen on occasion. He wasn't even sure his Watanuki had ever spoken much with him before. 

As he approached the two, he noticed the other boy had a slight blush on his cheeks and was watching Watanuki with wide eyes. Wondering what merited such an awestruck reaction, Doumeki turned his eyes to the smaller boy.

He couldn't hear yet what was being said at this distance, but no words were really necessary to understand the expression on the bespectacled boy's face. He was obviously talking about something he loved very much, judging by the excited hand movements and shine in his eyes. The smile never faltered as Watanuki eagerly gesticulated an explanation to the other boy.

Watanuki suddenly caught site of him and brightened even more.

"Ah here he is! Doumeki-kun, come here for a second."

Wait...

"This is Motoshi-kun. He's part of the school paper and was thinking of doing an interview with one of the archery club members. I told him you would be a good..."

They had been talking about _him_?

Something strange must have been showing on his face because suddenly Watanuki began to apologize.

"I-I'm sorry, I should have asked you first. I didn't mean to-"

"Stop apologizing."

"Oh, eh, right..." A flush crept up the bespectacled boy's neck and he looked at the ground.

The other kid, Motoshi, looked back and forth between them and, apparently deciding they needed some alone time, excused himself with a bow and a thank you to Watanuki. Doumeki noticed he kept looking back at the skinny boy though, and wondered if he would have to keep an eye on him.

"Sor- er, I mean... I..."

"Don't worry about it. Let's go."

If he ignored it, maybe he could forget the fact that Watanuki had looked so... incredibly adorable while talking about him. Though it was hard to keep from wondering if his Watanuki would ever look like that.

Doubtful, but good dream-fodder anyway.

* * *

The walk to Yuuko's was fairly peaceful. Any talking was mostly on Watanuki's part, with periodic answers from Doumeki when the occasion called for it. The distinct lack of yelling and hurled accusations took some getting used to, but it wasn't an altogether unpleasant situation to be in. 

"Ah, Doumeki-kun?"

"Hn?"

"Ah, um..." A slightly fidgety Watanuki cleared his throat before continuing. "I wondered, about this friend of yours. He... I mean you... well, I just got the impression from the other students..."

Ah. That.

"We're just friends."

"Oh, well yes, I got that much, but..."

"What?"

"Well, do I... I mean... am I supposed to hate you?"

The look Doumeki received was so sincerely confused he couldn't help it.

He laughed.

It kind of hurt. Muscles not used for a while, he supposed.

When the archer could focus again, the boy in front of him was only one shade lighter than a pomegranate.

"How is that funny?!"

Doumeki supposed it wouldn't have seemed that funny to anyone else, but really. That look and question at the same time was just too much.

"Never mind." He thought back to the actual question for a second. "And yes."

"Huh, yes?" The redness was receding a little, probably because he wasn't being laughed at anymore.

"You're supposed to hate me."

"What?! You mean... they were serious?!" Shocked disbelief now covered the smaller boy's face.

By 'they' Doumeki assumed he was referring to Watanuki's classmates. Well, someone was bound to notice the complete 180 the skinny boy seemed to have pulled overnight in regards to the archer. Wasn't it just earlier this week that Watanuki had told him to 'drop dead you ungrateful bastard, no I will _not_ make you snacks for after school' in front of about half the student body?

"But... you said-"

"We are friends; Watanuki just has a different way of showing it. People might misunderstand it sometimes unless they really know him."

Like Kunogi for instance. Behind the cute remarks and feigned ignorance of Watanuki's affection, she really knew what was what. Doumeki was almost positive of it.

"Oh. I guess so. Does that mean I have to yell at you at school?" The blush came back across the bridge of Watanuki's nose, but he didn't look at the archer when he asked.

"Just be yourself."

A quick glance from the other boy confirmed Doumeki's sincerity and the taller teen could see him visibly relax.

"Alright."

The rest of the way was walked in silence. The smaller boy was so deeply engrossed in his thoughts though, Doumeki had to hold out an arm to keep him from walking past the shop.

"Huh?" Watanuki threw a confused look at the archer. "Why did we stop?"

Doumeki nodded to the two posts Watanuki disappeared through every day. "We're here."

"Oh, heh, sorry. Guess I spaced out for a minute." Watanuki turned and started to walk to the entrance. After a couple steps, the skinny boy stopped and addressed Doumeki over his shoulder.

"Um, Doumeki-kun?"

"Hm."

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

Doumeki looked around. Barren field. No house. Two posts stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Yup, looked about right.

"Yeah, this is it."

Watanuki whirled around and glared accusingly at his companion. "Very funny."

Funny?

"What?"

A finger pointed angrily at the field. "Where is it?"

"Does it look different?"

"Of course it looks different! There's nothing there!" was the exasperated reply.

Ah.

This could be a problem.

"Oh, you don't see anything either?"

Watanuki's jaw dropped. "Are you crazy? What was I supposed to see?"

"A house of some kind, I guess."

"You guess?"

"Well, he never really described it properly, so... yeah."

Did he really deserve that 'I'm staring at a crazy person' look he was receiving from Watanuki? Well maybe, but still...

"Well, I guess we should just go home then."

"But, but what about your friend's job?" Watanuki hurried to catch up to the already leaving archer.

"You can't see the house."

"Huh?"

"If you can't see it, you can't go into it." Simple.

"What are you talking about?" Watanuki's face was saying 'not so simple.'

"There was a shop there. But you couldn't see it."

"There wasn't-"

"There was, but if you can't see it, it means you don't need to go inside."

"I don't understand..."

"Perhaps I can explain it better."

Both boys stopped and looked up at the same time.

And there she was, just as expectedly unexpected as Doumeki knew she would be. Leaning against a wall, arms crossed and looking like, as usual, she held the answer to every mystery there ever was. Which, for all Doumeki knew, she probably did.

Watanuki was the first to break the small silence.

"Ah, Yuuko-san!" He ran a few steps to her side, pulling up short with a taken aback look when he was about four feet away.

"What happened to you jewelry!?"

The ensuing mischievous laughter made Doumeki decide he really didn't want to know. Maroon eyes locked with his own as he too came up to stand in front of the shop owner.

"Good afternoon, Doumeki-kun."

"Afternoon."

"Been taking care of our Kimi-chan I see."

Kimi-chan?

"Hn."

A familiar _'I know something you don't'_ smile snuck onto her face. "If it's not too much trouble, I would ask you to allow him to stay with you a while longer."

Was that really a request? Doumeki doubted it.

"That's fine."

"Eh? Yuuko-san?" Watanuki was looking between the two of them in perplexity.

"Kimi-chan, how do you like this dimension so far?"

Ah, a different dimension. Of course. Made sense in a mind bending kind of way.

"Your... dimension?"

Yuuko raise one slender eyebrow. "Indeed."

"Ah, well... it's different, I suppose." Watanuki's eyes darted to Doumeki before returning to the tall woman again. "Doumeki-kun tells me there are spirits here."

The other eyebrow joined its partner. "But Kimi-chan, there are spirits in your world too."

"Wh-what? No, I don't think so... I've never seen anything." He didn't sound very sure of himself though.

"No, you wouldn't have. But Shizuka has."

For a moment Doumeki thought she was referring to him, but realized she meant the other boy's, er, friend. Now wasn't that a bit of a switch. Watanuki would probably love it.

"Shizuka... has?" Watanuki's brows drew together with a small frown.

"Ah, I see. It seems there are some things being kept from you." And _that_ smile was the _'I'll tell you what you want to know... for a price'_ smile.

A doubtful expression wavered over the smaller teen's features a moment before solidifying into an entirely Watanuki look of determination.

"Tell me."

The _'I've got you'_ smile.

"Very well. Follow me."

Watanuki followed as instructed without hesitation, Doumeki only a step behind him.

* * *

Thus ends chapter 6. Great big thank you to Toriolees for making sure it didn't come out looking completely craptacular. And for the captioned inspiration. XD 

Thank you for reading, I hoped you enjoyed.

P.S. FF hates me and so I haven't been able to reply to a lot of my reviews, but I do read them all and squeal with joy, I promise. So those I couldn't reply to personally, thank you!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer- All belongeth to CLAMP.

AN- Most following the story thus far have already seen my apology for the lateness, for those who haven't, well, sorry it took so long. :-) And for those just joining: count yourself lucky. Everyone else had two wait two years for an update. ^_^;;

OMG, I had to reread the first six chapters so many times...

To reiterate, this story takes place after volume 7, but before volume 8 (with the Himawari thing). So all the stuff in the latest chapters... I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it but, for the basis of this story, pretend it doesn't exist. Or my whole storyline falls apart...

Words to note:  
Furoshiki- cloth used to wrap and carry bento/lunch boxes.

* * *

Transitions

"You know, I can walk to the classroom by myself." Watanuki shot a disgruntled look at his companion who, in turn, ignored him completely. "You've given me the room number already; I don't need an escort too."

"Oh?"

Twitching at the distracted reply, Watanuki debated the effectiveness of another glare, but decided it would probably just be a wasted effort. He settled for a put-out sigh.

"Really, _must_ taciturnity be your key feature? I mean, I'm sure it's handy for keeping people from holding a conversation with you, though why they would want to in the first place has always been a mystery to me, and it probably hides a multitude of bad personality traits from unsuspecting people, I can think of several of the more annoying ones just off the top of my head. I, regrettably, have not been so fortunate as to be spared from- _what_?"

Doumeki merely continued to stare at him with an expression of mingled amusement and incredulity in lieu of answering.

Realization struck and Watanuki cleared his throat, deciding to pretend he hadn't forgotten he was speaking to a briefly known acquaintance rather than a long time companion who was more accustomed to his longwinded rants.

"So anyway..." He floundered for a topic. A giggling girl walked past, laughing at something her companion was saying, and a new focus came to him. "Ah! Himawari-chan. Do you, I mean we, know her very well here? I mean, obviously we know her; she was in the nurse's office when, well... But anyway, what I meant was-"

"Yeah, we do." It was obvious by the hurried reply that Doumeki was probably trying to stem another babble of words, but Watanuki momentarily disregarded the affront in favor of concentrating on the implication of those words.

The world was suddenly much brighter than it had been a few minutes ago. A brilliant light was now shining through the dark and murky gloom that was his current situation. If Himawari was in this world _and_ they were still friends, then surely life couldn't be so very bad here. Maybe he would be able to get through this after all. But before he got his expectations too high, he needed a little more information.

Watanuki turned a shining, optimistic face to his companion.

"So, how well would you say we know each other? Good friends?" He hardly dared to hope, but Watanuki still held his breath as he awaited the reply. Doumeki thought about it for a second or two before answering

"That's probably true. We do eat lunch together every day. And we walk home together sometimes. She and Kimihiro get along well." There was nothing to indicate to Watanuki that Doumeki thought there was more to their relationship than that, so he was forced to conclude that even in this world there was nothing between them. Though other, more disturbing, relationships seemed to have cropped up instead. Still, the prospect of seeing his beloved was enough to lighten his mood immensely.

With a goofy grin, Watanuki spun in a circle and skipped down the hall a few steps. "Himawari-chan! It'll be good to see such a friendly face! Your smile makes almost anything bearable!"

Two girls standing a few feet away glanced up at his voice, identical looks of surprise etched on their faces. Doumeki flicked his eyes to them briefly before returning his attention to the prancing boy in front of him. Watanuki was just about to demand to know why he was being given the evil eye when he was abruptly tugged in the opposite direction they had just been walking.

"What are you doing!? The classroom is _that_ way. Hey! Stop manhandling me you-"

"Shut up." This command was accompanied by a shove into an empty room. Watanuki was surprised enough to actually comply. For a second or so.

"What is your problem?" Watanuki demanded as he spun around to more effectively project a Scowl of Doom at his companion. Doumeki was just shutting the door behind them, but quickly turned to retaliate with his own Scowl of Moderate Aggravation.

"Several things. All of them start with you." The tone bordered on anger and Watanuki could see the struggle as Doumeki tried to keep it in check.

The Scowl of Doom slipped a bit and then fell completely a second later. It was certainly odd, watching as Doumeki closed his eyes and appeared to count to ten. The emotions he had seen in this world's Doumeki easily doubled the amount he was accustomed to. And that was just in one day.

He acted almost... human, or something. An intriguing concept that had never really occurred to him before when thinking in terms of the Doumeki persona. He had personally always thought of the taller boy to be more on the robot side of the spectrum, truth be told. And a poorly programmed one at that.

His former happy mood had disappeared by now, leaving him with a feeling of having been robbed of his one bid to normalcy. Confusion set in once more, and ordinary, knee-jerk reactions had to be squashed down and re-examined. Normal was no longer automatic, and the fact that Watanuki felt he had to watch what he said around this person almost offended him.

And it struck Watanuki then, how dependant he had become on Doumeki's unflappable attitude towards him. It was frustrating and annoying, not to mention all the times it made him want to strangle a response out of the moron, but still, he never had to worry about saying the wrong thing, or sounding weird, or-

"Okay."

Watanuki glanced up at the firm tone, his train of thought interrupted. Doumeki was rubbing his eyes in the way of a headache victim, the words "it's too early in the morning for this shit" all but hanging above his head.

Swear word and all.

"We need to get a few things straight between us." The rubbing stopped, but Doumeki kept his hand covering his eyes for several more seconds before slowly lowering it to look at the teen across from him.

Again, Watanuki had to bite back a retort. Literally even, as he stuck his tongue between his canines and pressed down, determined not to interrupt what his companion was trying to say. He had the simultaneous feelings that it was both important and something he wasn't going to like.

"First..." Doumeki paused, shook his head, and tried again. "You look like him. Without a doubt, you'll fool anyone who just sees you. But..."

Again, the taller boy paused. It was nerve-wracking enough being alone with a Doumeki-clone in a strange world, but all the dancing around of issues was just plain annoying. He never thought he would miss the old Doumeki's bluntness.

"Just say it already," Watanuki grumbled, eager to hurry things up and get to the blessed normalcy of note-taking and learning.

He could swear he saw a vein twitch above Doumeki's brow just then.

"That!" An exasperated hand flew into the air and waved at him momentarily. "You open your mouth, and then idiocy flies out. You'll never convince someone you're Kimihiro unless you tape your mouth shut! He would never say half the stuff you do, or do that girly-dance thing, or yell, or-!" A growl of frustration issued from the teen before he turned his back to Watanuki and walked over to the opposite wall a few feet away.

Doumeki sighed deeply, and placed his hands on the white-washed plaster in front of him. It was a few seconds before he spoke again, but he seemed calmer, though he still addressed the wall.

"I don't think this is going to work. Going to school, I mean. I'm not going to kick you out or anything. It's just..." His voice trailed off again.

Throughout Doumeki's sudden outburst, Watanuki held his peace, waiting for an opportune moment to break in with his own two cents about just how this whole thing wasn't exactly his own cup of tea either, but he was choking it down anyway, so Doumeki had better start to suck it up too, dammit. But something made him rethink what was sure to be a hastily thrown together rant-fest.

So instead he used the break between words to make an uncharacteristic decision. To stay calm.

And keep quiet.

"Kimihiro is shy, and peaceful, well most of the time anyway. He doesn't say... strange things. He certainly doesn't see the things we do, so he's normal. Because of... his past, Kimihiro likes to keep his real personality hidden from everyone. It's taken me 5 years to break down as many walls as I have, and there's still and entire fortress to go. He shows people what he thinks they want to see with out regard for what he wants. Selfless. In the most destructive way there is.

"And you come along with every emotion you have walking ten feet in front of you and expect to fool people. It's almost absurd to think you and Kimihiro could trade places. I..." Doumeki turned to face his silent companion, disappointment painted clearly over his face. "Just don't think you can pull it off."

Watanuki didn't answer right away. He chewed on the words, turning them over and over, this way and that, around his head. But each way he flipped them, it still came down to one conclusion.

_Doumeki_ was telling him he couldn't do something.

No. That wasn't even it. Doumeki was telling him he wouldn't be able to do it _right_. Which was just as bad.

Disregarding the fact that this wasn't even a Doumeki he had enough experience with to want to prove wrong, or that this was an almost completely new world to him, Watanuki kept his mouth sealed firmly shut as he purposefully marched past the other teen and to the door.

Just as he had one hand on the doorknob, preparing to turn it, Watanuki turned back and looked Doumeki in the eye.

"You don't know what I can and can't do."

The door closed behind him without a retort.

* * *

Watanuki slipped into one of the only open seats left with approximately two minutes to spare. Thirty seconds later, Doumeki stopped in front of his desk.

Clenching hands under the desk top, Watanuki looked up expecting to see anger. Instead, he saw... amusement.

"Wrong seat. Kimihiro." Then Doumeki nodded his head to the seat one up.

It took a second for the information to process, but Watanuki quickly snapped into action, gathering his books and pencil and shifting them to the next desk. "Oh, er, sorry."

Had he come all the way over here just to tell-

Why was Doumeki sitting down behind him?

Warm breath tickled the hair on the back of his neck. "I'll give you a trial. If you can't pull it off, I'm telling everyone you're sick and I'll chain you to the apartment if I have to."

In an extraordinary show of willpower, Watanuki refrained from shoving Doumeki face back with a fist. It was fortunate that his desire to prove Doumeki wrong was much stronger than his impulse to cause bodily harm.

"I'll take that into consideration," he muttered under his breath. "You can leave now."

"Can't leave. Class is starting." Watanuki could practically hear the smirk. But he was cut off from any verbal laments by the appearance of their teacher at the front of the class.

Oh yes, someone was laughing their ass off somewhere. He had a feeling he knew exactly who it was too.

* * *

The classes themselves were easy to get through. Sit quietly, take notes, and answer when called on. In between classes weren't hard either, if he kept to himself and just waited for the next teacher.

He let Doumeki whisper hints to him about their classmates. Some of them he already knew, but most he did not. Every now and then a boy or girl would walk past their desks with a smile, a nod, or a greeting, and Watanuki would reply in like as Doumeki leaned close and filled in the gaps.

It went like this up until lunch; by that time Watanuki was ready for a break from his classmates.

He'd never smiled to so many people in the space of a single day.

Doumeki had led him to a large tree outside –the only one that had managed to keep more than two of its leaves –and they were currently leaning against the rough bark, waiting for Himawari to join them. Watanuki shivered, the sun doing little to dispel the chill in the air, never mind the cold seeping up from the ground, numbing his butt.

"Shouldn't we be buying lunch? I didn't make anything for us to eat."

"Don't need to. It's Kunogi's turn today."

Watanuki twisted around to get a better explanation. "What do you mean it's Himawari-chan's turn?"

"Just what it sounds like. Though Kimihiro likes to bring something extra anyway. We normally take turns bringing lunch to share. Don't worry, she's a good cook. Nothing like Kimihiro, but decent."

Anther question had been posed on his lips, but at the mention of Himawari being a good cook, Watanuki promptly forgot what it was. "She cooks it herself?"

There must have been something in his voice, because suddenly Doumeki spun on him and held up a warning finger. "Don't start that crap again."

Watanuki didn't bother to ask what crap he was talking about and just frowned. "I wasn't. It was a simple question."

Doumeki narrowed his eye suspiciously for a second, then answered shortly, "Yes, she does."

Though he tried hard to squash his inner flailing, Watanuki could still feel a giant grin spreading over his face. Doumeki rolled his eyes at it.

"Watanuki-kun, Doumeki-kun!" a voice called to them from their left. Himawari jogged towards them, a bright smile on her face and a stack of neatly wrapped bento boxes in one hand.

Watanuki reflexively leapt to his feet to help her carry the package, but stumbled after the first step and paused, unsure of what he was seeing. What he had first thought to be a class letting out behind Himawari was actually a large group of students milling around her. Girls and boys alike vied for her attention, calling her name, or trying to hand her gifts. A few went as far as to touch her shoulder or arm, though they left at a run directly after, strange mixes of happiness and guilt radiating from their faces.

None of them seemed to mind that Himawari was completely ignoring them all.

The greeting bubbling up from his throat fizzled out with uncertainty, until only a tiny "um" was left to pass through his lips. Doumeki hadn't mentioned that half the school would be joining them as well.

But before Watanuki could turn and accuse his companion, Himawari stopped, did a 180, and tilted her head to the side prettily. Watanuki could picture perfectly in his head the cheerful smile on her face and the crinkle of her eyes as she said, "Thank you for accompanying me outside. I'll be joining my friends now, so please have a good afternoon everyone."

As if they were the magic words to break some spell, the crowd immediately started to break apart and people drifted off in different directions.

Watanuki blinked at the sight, trying to figure out why it was such an unusual sight. Of course Himawari was popular; that was a no-brainer. She was cute and sweet and cheerful and funny and had the most wonderfully adorable smile that was aimed at Doumeki way too much for his liking and... wait, what had he been trying to figure out?

Oh, right.

As Himawari waved off the last few stragglers, Watanuki figured out what was bugging him about the scene. If he honestly thought back to all of his encounters with Himawari at school, minus the sparkles and flowers, he couldn't remember ever seeing her hanging out with more than one or two people at a time, never mind the huge crowd like the one he just witnessed.

But that couldn't be right. Someone like Himawari should be constantly covered in friends. Right? He thought harder, but could only come up with two people that constantly could be seen in her company. And they were both present and accounted for. But now that he had thought of it, the strangeness of not having to beat people off with a stick to get to her seemed even more pronounced.

How could he not have noticed her lack off friends?

"Watanuki-kun? Are you still feeling ill?"

Watanuki shook off his musings and lifted his eyes to Himawari's concerned face. While he'd been lost in thought, she had closed the last few feet between them. He internally squashed down the immediate reaction to adamantly reassure her of his fabulous health with a full demonstration of flexing and perhaps a jumping jack or two and only smiled.

"No, I'm actually feeling much better. Thank you," he said, taking the bento boxes from her.

The crinkle between Himawari's brow disappeared and she smiled again. She laid a hand on his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. "That's good. You looked a bit distant a minute ago, but if you're sure..." She left the last bit hanging and examined Watanuki's face a second longer, then turned to greet Doumeki.

But Watanuki didn't answer the mild question, because he was trying very hard not to do something stupid. Because Himawari's hand. Was still. On. His shoulder.

"Then, let's- Oh! Watanuki-kun, your face is so red!" Himawari moved to put her hand on his forehead, but Watanuki snapped out of it long enough to back up a step and wave her away politely. "Oh, no, it's nothing. I'm just, um... hungry! Yeah, so here." He all but threw himself to his knees and began to work the knot holding together the furoshiki.

Himawari knelt beside him, still looking unconvinced, but not saying anything else. Though he did see her exchange a look with Doumeki from the corner of his eye as he spread the cloth out beneath the boxes. He wondered what look Doumeki gave her back. A stupid looking one probably.

"Oh, wow! This all looks delicious Himawari-chan. Ah! Those are my favorite!" Watanuki snapped shut his mouth at once, realizing he might have made a mistake. Who was to say that the Kimihiro in this dimension shared the same tastes?

"Oh good, I remembered correctly then. I thought I'd make them special for you, as a get well wishing, I suppose."

"Himawari-chan..." Watanuki didn't worry that his expression might be off, because he was sure any form of himself would be grateful to have a friend who would take such care for him. As touched as he was, though, he could still see Himawari's smile was a bit sad, and he hated that he had made her worry so much.

She did brighten a bit a second later when she reached into her pocket and pulled a folded sheet of paper out.

"I almost forgot. Here, Watanuki-kun." She handed the paper to him. "You wanted this, right?"

Watanuki took the proffered gift and smiled, unsure of what it was, but ready to thank her anyway. He unfolded it carefully, words of gratitude already forming on his lips. When he saw what it was, however, the first thing to pop out was a pleasantly surprised, "Oh!"

"I'm sorry it took so long to get it. My mother has been gone a lot lately." But Himawari seemed pleased by his reaction, despite her apology.

"No, not at all! Thank you very much." And Watanuki dropped a greedy gaze down to the recipe he had searched for months for with no luck.

"My pleasure." Her smile was glorious and Watanuki knew he had to avert his gaze before he embarrassed himself. He glanced away and immediately bristled.

"Hey! You're eating already?!"

* * *

They were nearly back to the classroom before Watanuki's thoughts brought him back to his previous observation and he thought to ask Doumeki directly about it.

"Say, Dou-mmph." A hand over his mouth abruptly cut him off. He glared over the fingers, but quickly replaced the look with a friendly expression when a classmate walked past them.

Doumeki glanced around and then motioned to an empty corner, dropping his hand. Once out earshot of the main crowd, Watanuki demanded and explanation.

"What the heck was that for?" he hissed.

"Shizuka."

Watanuki blinked. "Eh?"

"It's what you have to call me in front of people."

That earned another blink.

"It's my name." He spoke slowly, as if addressing a small child, or a not so bright adult.

That brought Watanuki back and he settled his previous glare in place, annoyed at the boy in front of him. "Yes, I _know_ that, thank you."

"Sorry, I couldn't tell from your stupid expression. But anyway, just do it."

"Now wait a minute!" Watanuki made a clumsy pull at Doumeki's sleeve as he began to nonchalantly walk away after his bomb-dropping. Tugging his companion back into the corner, Watanuki scanned the area none too discretely for eavesdroppers, frazzled by the sudden request.

The archer raised an eyebrow at all the fuss.

"I can't do that!"

"It's not really that hard to pronounce. Just try it." The bastard didn't even have the decency to smile when he said it.

"That's _not_ the problem," Watanuki growled under his breath, smiling as a classmate waved to him across the hall as she passed.

"Then..." Doumeki swept and arm out to his side, indicating Watanuki should finish.

Watanuki fidgeted. "Well, it just sounds, you know... intimate." He whispered the last word, eyes darting to make sure no one had overheard. Embarrassment tinted his nose pink.

"Yes. I know." And then he did smile.

Evilly.

He left his companion floundering between expressions of shock, mortification and resentment until the bell rang.

* * *

It took him the rest of the day's lessons to figure out how he was going to get of the latest demand on his role of "Kimihiro." By the time the last bell rang, he thought maybe he had figured out the best solution.

So, he couldn't call Doumeki by his family name in public. And he damn straight and sure as hell wasn't going to call him Shizuka.

The solution, then: don't call him anything. There was absolutely nothing wrong with leaving off a person's name when speaking with him. All he had to do, really, was remember not to call him Doumeki at all.

Easy.

Watanuki was pleased he managed to avoid what was sure to be a lot of embarrassed stuttering on his part and even more sadist amusement on Doumeki's. It was an airtight plan, and he couldn't help but gloat a bit at his triumph over the taller boy's ridiculous request as he gathered together his books.

"Well, shall we be off to see Haruka-san?" he questioned Doumeki, who was still writing notes in his notebook. He didn't look up, or even respond.

Thinking he hadn't been heard over the clatter and chatter of the departing class, Watanuki repeated his question.

And realized he was being deliberately ignored.

Thus his foolproof plan backfired in the face of obscene amounts of Doumeki snobbery.

The last few classmates trickled away until it was only the two of them remaining. But still Watanuki stood silently by his companion's desk, refusing to grab his attention in the sought after fashion just as resolutely as the boy in said desk refused to acknowledge the figure hovering over him.

Watanuki cast two sideways glances to make sure no one lingered in the room before snatching the notebook from under Doumeki's scratching pencil.

"Oi," Doumeki said to the desk.

"Oh shove it. You can hear me perfectly well, so what's with the deaf and dumb act? Though I doubt the last part would be a huge stretch for-" Realizing he had forgotten himself again, Watanuki clamped him mouth shut and wondered if badmouthing Doumeki would ever stop being as reflexive as breathing.

"And no sooner had the company of others departed, when moronic jabber once again assaulted my ears. Or at least that's what I would write if my journal hadn't suddenly vanished."

Watanuki contemplated ripping apart the item in question just to see if Doumeki would finally give in and look up. But, alas, his sense of conscientiousness and respect for other people's property seemed to extend to even the most annoying of them all. With a harrumph, he shoved the book back onto the desk.

"Can we please just go see Haruka-san?"

"Ah, there it is." The scritch-scritch of pencil on paper resumed and when Watanuki glanced down, sure enough, Doumeki was writing exactly what he said.

"I may be haunted," Doumeki narrated as he wrote, "I hear strange noises to my side. Some kind of cross between a drowning cat and a grinding millstone... that swears under its breath."

"Millstones don't breathe," Watanuki retorted stingingly. "And if you're done playing, maybe we could get out of here?"

"Who?" The pencil paused.

"Us. You, me."

"You and...?"

"You! YOU!"

"...who?"

Watanuki gripped the handle of his schoolbag tightly in both hands, physically restraining himself from throwing it at the other boy. "There's absolutely no reason why I need to call you by your given name. I can just as easily remember not to say anything at all."

Doumeki made a noncommittal noise.

"You're just being stubborn! Why can't I-gah!" He threw his hands up in annoyance as Doumeki began to write in his journal again.

"Fine, fine. I get it. If I call you what you want can we please leave?"

The scritch-scritch paused again to listen.

Watanuki took that as a yes.

"Will you take me to see your grandfather..." Watanuki swallowed and willed complete indifference into his voice. It was just a name after all; it didn't require any special inflection. So with a distinct lack of emotion, Watanuki finished.

"Shizuka?"

Doumeki blinked and raised his head, but didn't face him, which was surprising, because Watanuki expected to see a smirk, or gloat, or some sign of Doumeki having proved he won.

Instead the teen silently packed his bag and stood, then walked to the door. Watanuki followed after a few steps, and then stopped when the other teen suddenly halted right in front of the doorway.

"You know, I think you're right. Saying nothing would be just as easy. I was wrong; you don't need to call me that anymore."

Watanuki would have been more pleased about the whole him being right and Doumeki being wrong thing, if he wasn't so confused by the complete turnaround he just witnessed. Or by the indecipherable look Doumeki gave him a second later.

"We'll go seen my grandfather now."

Wisely, Watanuki followed without another word.

* * *

It was several blocks of silence before Watanuki felt the urge to speak again. And he probably could have gone even longer if a previously pressing question hadn't reminded his brain that it was still in need of an answer.

"Hey," Watanuki began, unthinkingly stealing his rival's favorite form of address, "I had a question. About Himawari-chan."

Doumeki tilted his head to his companion. "Again? I really don't know that much about her."

"Yes, well, it's more of a general question." And maybe a strange one at that. What was he trying to ask anyway? Why was she so popular? That answer was obvious. Maybe more along the lines of why, with so many admirers, did Himawari-chan spend her free time with them?

He decided to start with a roundabout comment, to see if more information would bring less lame questions.

"Himawari-chan certainly has a lot of other friends."

To which Doumeki responded with a wholehearted snort and an ugly look. "Sure she does."

White-hot anger burned up Watanuki's throat and out his mouth. "Don't you dare badmouth Himawari-chan!" he spat, grabbing on to the taller boy's arm and spinning him around. Not expecting the abrupt assault on his person, Doumeki lurched a step or two before fixing Watanuki with surprised eyes. He opened his mouth to respond, but was quickly cut off.

"Any person with even half a working eye and ear can see she's the sweetest, most kind-hearted, caring, and beautiful person in Japan. Inside _and_ out. In case you didn't notice during lunch, she practically had to climb out of that group of people to get to us. So don't sit there with that nasty look on your face and tell me she's not popular!"

Watanuki was red-faced and out of breath by the end of his speech, but more than willing to jump to Himawari's defense again at the slightest hint of noncompliance on Doumeki's part.

As if sensing another onslaught of verbal whipping, Doumeki held up both hands in surrender before even attempting to speak. When the smaller teen lost the look of battle-readiness, he finally spoke.

"First of all, calm down. I would never insult Kunogi." He sighed at Watanuki's narrow and suspicious glare, but continued anyway. "Second, popularity, from what I have seen, does not equate to having a multitude friends."

"Wait, isn't that exactly what it means?"

"No. Sometimes I think it's exactly the _opposite_."

Watanuki waited a second for a more enlightening answer, but found none to be forthcoming. Crossing his arms, he voiced his confusion. "If those people aren't her friends, why would they bother following her from class, talking with her, smiling at her? Don't only friends do those things?"

"Not necessarily."

"But-"

Doumeki raised a hand for peace, and, finding the motion once again successful, posed a question of his own for Watanuki.

"If someone you barely know is following you around, trying to get your attention, flattering you, sucking up and otherwise ingratiating themselves to you, what would you think? Do you consider this person a friend?"

"Well, no."

"Then what?"

It was obvious when Doumeki strung it out in so many words, but if what he was implying was true...

"I'd think they wanted something. A favor."

Then Himawari was being hounded. By suitors maybe? No, but there were girls too, so what could they want from her? Maybe they were-

"Vultures. Parasites. Leeches. Call them anything like that. But don't ever mistake those groupies for friends. You're right; they all want something from her. The same thing actually."

"What?"

Doumeki considered the anxious question for a moment. "I suppose you don't have this problem where you come from, since you're so ignorant of it."

Watanuki barely had time to feel insulted before Doumeki continued.

"But you obviously know Kunogi in some way. And though you fawn on her ridiculously, it's not nearly as sickening as the phony crap she's used to."

Watanuki began to protest, only to be cut off again.

"I guess it's alright to tell you she's a Special."

"I already know she's special, thank you," Watanuki snapped, glad that he wasn't interrupted for once.

"Not just special. _A_ Special. It's a class. I'm not telling you anymore until we get to the temple though. "

"Why not?" If Doumeki was going to keep throwing around capitalized S-words, he wanted to know why Himawari was part of the labeling as well.

"It's not that much further, just be patient. My grandfather can explain it more clearly anyway."

"But-"

A scowl and a half shut him up.

A few blocks later, when the air between them cleared to placid companionability, Doumeki made a quiet request. Watanuki stared at him for some seconds and then stuttered a hasty agreement. Doumeki nodded his thanks and they continued the rest of the way in silence. Watanuki spent that time berating himself for letting it slip that Haruka was dead in his dimension, and wondering how he could apologize for having made Doumeki request he not mention the fact to his own grandfather.

* * *

Aside from the few small alterations he had noticed on his previous hasty look at the Doumeki temple in this world, if a tree could be called small, the grounds and buildings sprawled across it were essentially unchanged. It had a hollow reassurance, however, since the property always had the feeling of unfamiliarity and vastness, no matter how many times he (unwillingly) visited.

Doumeki led the way to one of the back buildings, past the main house the family lived in, and near the left edge of the property. Watanuki didn't think he had ever been on this side before, even during impromptu bouts of chore helping.

They stopped in front of a small domicile that could kindly be referred to as a hut, but probably more accurately described as a dilapidated shed. Watanuki briefly wondered if Doumeki had taken him here to grab a broom, and they were about to do chores.

I _would_ be like him.

"My grandfather should be in there right now."

Watanuki raised his brows in mild surprise. "In the tool shed?"

A frown stretched Doumeki's mouth a fraction. "It's not a tool shed. This is where he studies. Wait here. I'll see if he's not too busy."

He left Watanuki on the side of the path and took the on step up to the threshold, raising one hand to knock on the battered wooden door. His fist came down on air a second later when the door opened of its own accord.

A figure silhouetted the doorway, but was at the wrong angle in the light for Watanuki to make out anything more than a vague impression of something presumably human shaped.

"Oh, good. Here," Doumeki moved to the side and gestured to Watanuki with one arm, "this is him."

While Watanuki thought perhaps Doumeki could have made the introduction a wee less cryptic, he saw the figure moving out of the tiny building and into the light before the archer had even finished.

"So I see," Haruka said he approached Watanuki. And then he gave a short chuckle, as if remembering a private joke. Watanuki hoped it wasn't at his expense.

Up close and in the daylight, which, now that he thought about it, wasn't ever a time of day he had ever spoken with Haruka, the older man was different to look at. There was still the uncanny family resemblance, but much older, and Watanuki had to remind himself that of course the real, living Haruka-san would be age appropriate. His dream friend had said himself that he used his younger version to be more familiar.

But it was still unnerving to see a grey-haired Haruka with smile lines and crow's feet, no matter how well they suited him. Though he did find himself musing that as long as Doumeki didn't let himself go and stopped eating like a complete pig all the damn time, he was in for a graceful aging process.

Doumeki's grandfather stopped in front of Watanuki, tucked his hands into the sleeves of his yukata, and stood comfortably for a moment with his eyes fixed on the boy's face. And while the gaze never strayed from his own, Watanuki got the feeling he was being thoroughly inspected.

After a minute of quiet scrutiny, Haruka finally spoke again.

"You're quite out of place, it would seem."

"Yes, sir."

"Haruka, please." Eyes crinkled pleasantly as the older man smiled.

Watanuki smiled back involuntarily. "Yes, Haruka-san."

"Well, close enough." Haruka turned to his grandson. "An exact copy, you say?"

"On the outside, anyway," was Doumeki's reply. "So you can see him like me?"

"Indeed."

The exchange made little sense to Watanuki. Surely Haruka-san had met the other Watanuki before. He seemed too close to Doumeki not to have.

"Have you never met, er, Kimihiro, Haruka-san?"

Haruka turned back to the shorter boy, smile at the ready. "Of course I have. Very nice boy."

Oh.

"Then..."

"I have never actually seen him, however. Which is why you'll have to excuse me for using you as a point of reference."

Which made even less sense.

"I don't understand," he finally admitted.

Haruka glanced over his shoulder to Doumeki.

"I've been finding out that while they look the same to him, things are apparently vastly different where he comes from."

"So, what you mean, Shizuka, is that Watanuki-kun does not know I'm blind."

And he looked Watanuki directly in the eye and grinned as he said it.

* * *

An- It ended up being over 6k words. Congrats on making it to the end! Thanks for reading.

And thanks to my beta, Toriolees, for the green light. And the patience. Always with the patience.


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